There is a bizarre case out of China were a man, Jian Feng, was awarded $120,000 (£75,000) in a court settlement after alleging that his wife did not reveal that she had had cosmetic surgery — a fact that he said he discovered when she had an ‘incredibly ugly’ child.
Jian Feng said that his wife tricked him into believing that she was a natural beauty but his daughter revealed that she was not. He insisted that “Our daughter was incredibly ugly, to the point where it horrified me.” Nice.
What I fail to understand is the basis for the lawsuit, even in China. He reportedly alleged that his wife cheated on him (I can’t imagine why) and that the child looked like neither of its parents. Putting aside the assumption that a marriage can be premised on looks, his argument on the infidelity seems to contradict his argument on heredity.
He was granted a divorce in addition to the settlement.
Source: IB Times
Given the Chinese government’s attitude toward human rights (e.g. killing prisoners to sell organs for profit, forced abortions, torture, abuse, slave labour, etc.), it wouldn’t surprise me if they agreed to kill the child so the “man” wouldn’t have to pay child support.
Idealist, YOU go educate men in China. I’m too tired.
Also, although there are many reasons to hate women, I’m not willing to think that in China they are all economic. 😛
Jonathan, how can you let an article in your excellent blog refer to “award of a settlement”? If it’s an award, then it’s obviously a judgment, not a settlement.
A judgment is imposed on the unwilling and unhappy losing party. A settlement requires two to tango, and usually involves some level of give and take by both sides. As attorneys, you and I know this, but the lay readers of this blog may get confused and carry this misuse of the term “settlement” into other conversations.
Malisha,
Customs are dictated by reality, and reality requires solutions. China and India’s problem is the same as ours, who takes care of the parents in their last years. We have pensions, institutions, etc., perhaps less caring a solution than the Chinese one.
In China it is the oldest son’s duty. A wife joins the husband’s family and thus female children are of little value from that point of view.
The bride has a price in many cultures just because of her actual value as a wife and mother and servant. And that is compensated in gold, camels, goats or farm land.
I am doubtful that the dislike of having female babies is based on a hatred or need for denigrating woman per se, instead it is regarding them as being inadequately compensated for in the existing society.
India and China both have a long way before women can reach their rightful place as fully competent working persons. We are still striving ourselves, with poor success.
You have to educate the pool, change their mindset, and that of society, business, and government.
None of which is easy.
Woosty,
Re holding up the sky. you write id.
I was citing an earlier citation of Chairman Mao, and did not repeat the source as it was so recently given.
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Yes, woman do hold up the whole of the sky. I have said that many times here. And even reminded the men that if women wished to survive without semen from men, that cloning is NOT the only way out.
Modification of the “father’s” chromosomes so as to produce the Y-chromosome will be achieve within 50 years (my predictions) due to demand from female couples.
Whether ornot they produce fertile males, etc. is to be seen.
Bu then they maybe satisfied with the usual X-X merging in the egg cell producing only females.
Interesting prospect, I think.
I would like to see a photo of the dad. I bet he looks like he got hit by the ugly stick numerous times. Hopefully it wasn’t a “pointy stick.”
Woosty,
“It is because women hold up ALL of the sky….but that is changing because our arms are getting tired and are needed to ward off the blows of low men….”
worth repeating.
A real man would have considered plastic surgery for his daughter – a bit at the eyes and maybe some dental work, then a bit of makeup.
If women hold up half the sky, the how come men rule.~Id
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It is because women hold up ALL of the sky….but that is changing because our arms are getting tired and are needed to ward off the blows of low men….
Hmmmm, this is really really interesting. Perhaps this “fraud” that masks the dna, thereby causing Jian Fang to have unreasonable expectations with respect to the appearance of his offspring should be considered damages. There is definitely intentional misrepresentation, there is reliance upon that misrepresentation, and there are clearly at least subjective damages.
Oh it just dawned on me what this guy’s problem was: his wife bore him a GIRL. Of course she’s ugly; she’s female. It’s too bad the Chinese courts see fit to allow thugs like this husband to enrich themselves by stealing from the women they have married and who have disappointed their royal behinds, but when you get right down to it, that’s our system, too. Only here, if you have plastic surgery to look pretty for your husband, it’s generally considered a pro-family act.
I had head this a week ago and was amazed…. As noted what basis… Buyers remorse ….. Or could it be the ban on one child….. Taken in context of the decision…..ARE…. You might have a point…. Connections are everything….
On the other hand, look at it this way: He doesn’t want custody of that ugly kid. So the wife is rid of this a55hole and she keeps her daughter, right? She’s doing better than she would have done in America. Go, ugly mothers of China!
It takes two to tango buttplug.
LK,
One of the best articles that I’ve read in a long time as to being legally and socially informed.
Now we know who gets screwed if they are not written as co-owners, and who gets to do most of the work in the home, and who leaves her job as the best solution for the family, but not for her if he divorces.
Sounds like the general trend here. (We have 50 states of screwing women so it varies.)
Can we call having women senators a redeeming factor.
If women hold up half the sky, the how come men rule.
I guess the court just did not like the translation of female gold diggers.
Off Topic but tangential in an interesting way:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/8857708/Chinas-divorce-rule-dubbed-Law-that-makes-men-laugh-and-women-cry.html
When I read the column it sounded like a country that did not have no-fault divorce (as we have not always had) and this case was a way to force divorce. Slip into divorce court by way of some other actionable incident that affected the relationship- much like suing the man your wife was having an affair with for emotional distress and alienation of affection to bolster a claim of an irretrievably broken relationship which would lead to a state sanctioned divorce. As I recall, this and variations thereof, was practiced in America in some states.
Not so! I went searching the internet to see what kind of divorce law they have in China. The above link takes one to an article about a recently passed divorce law in China that changes the way property is divided in a divorce. If you read between the lines it gives an interesting view on the marriage culture in China.
The guy above, Jian Feng? Hes a class-act, he’ll be a real catch for some lucky girl now that he’s back on the market. 🙄
Some Adams are REAL BIG IDIOTS. Some Eves are EXTRA CONFUSING.
Maybe God created earth, then created Adam and Eve, then created Tv.
And God has been watching this reality show in his armchair ever since.
He gave us eternal life because he says he never wants to stop watching, Even God is stunned by the actions of the human race.
That’s . . . pure lunacy.
I think the basis is that the guy is Communist Party secretary in his province.
On what basis was this ridiculous settlement based on? Crazy.