More and more parents around the world prefer girls to boys
The bias in favour of boys is shrinking in developing countries even as a preference for girls emerges in the rich world
An American couple is throwing a party to commemorate the moment when they discover what sex their unborn child will be. “It’s a boy!” they blurt out, in a TikTok video that has since gone viral. But the mother-to-be cannot feign excitement for long. Within seconds she is clutching her partner and sobbing. He reassures her that they will have a daughter at some point, before they leave the room, too upset to stay with their guests.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “The fairer sex”
From the June 7th 2025 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
The obscure Senate functionary whose word is law
Elizabeth MacDonough does more to shape legislation than most congressmen
The big beautiful bill reveals the hollowness of Trumponomics
Republicans mark America’s birthday with a profligate but insubstantial law
The war in Ukraine shows the West can re-arm without re-industrialising
Industrial capacity in peacetime is no longer necessary for success during war
How much did America’s bombs damage Iran’s nuclear programme?
Assessments vary wildly and it is impossible to know for sure
Israel’s war with Iran is over
But its impact is uncertain
Israel’s blitz on Iran is fraught with uncertainty
Much hinges on the stubborn supreme leader and America’s mercurial president