HONG KONG ¨C ¡°Having three children is the best¡± says a vibrant neon pink sign at a wedding expo in the southern Chinese city of Changsha, where visitors can also pick up tips on tying the knot and men can strap on a pregnancy belly to experience childbirth pain.
The marriage-themed festival comes at a time when China is looking to spur weddings and births to counter a shrinking population, but it has drawn thin crowds and sparked criticism for being regressive, disparaging toward women and for putting people off marriage ¡ª contrary to the government¡¯s aim.
Social media users called out slogans at the expo such as ¡°Housework is the best,¡± ¡°Best at raising kids¡± and ¡°Best at tutoring homework¡± for reinforcing gender stereotypes.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.