How does Generation X fare in the 21st century?
About half the educated women from Generation X, the term once used to describe the new generation, are childless, according to American research.
Born between 1965 and 1978, Generation X was first used in a novel written by Douglas Coupland, “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.”
The idea quickly spread to describe those born in economic prosperity with encouragement for further education. They also were typically thought to have strong personalities.
New York-based think thank the Centre for Work-Life Policy researched some 3,000 Generation X graduates and found that about 43 percent of women with college degrees had no offspring. About 75 percent, however, were living with partners.
The research assumed that one of the reasons was that Generation X were involved in feminist movements and tried to overcome a male-dominated environment.
This became evident when 91 percent of women replied they were part of a dual-career family, where 19 percent earned more than their spouses.
By Kang Yoon-seung
(koreacolin@hanmail.net)
Intern reporter
<한글 요약>
X세대 여성란? 맞벌이, 高수입, 아이無
미국 연구진에 따르면, 1965년에서 1978년에 태어난 “X세대” 대졸 여성 중 절반은 아이를 가지고 있지 않다.
작가 Douglas Coupland의 저서, “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture”에서 처음 언급된 “X세대”는 경제적 풍요로움 속에서 자라면서 양질의 교육을 받고, 개성이 강한 세대를 지칭하는 사회용어로 자리잡았다.
뉴욕에 위치한 “the Centre for Work-Life Policy” 연구소는 대졸 이상 X세대 사회인 3,000명을 조사하였고, 대졸 여성의 43%가 자녀 없이 산다는 점을 발견했다. 약 75%가 배우자와 함께 산다는 것을 고려한다면 놀라운 수치이다.
연구진들은 X세대의 여성들은 여성인권 운동에 참여하며 남성 위주 사회를 타파하기 위해 노력했다는 점을 그 배경으로 추측했다.
한편 91%의 여성들은 자신이 “맞벌이”라고 소개했으며, 약 19%는 남편보다 소득이 높은 것으로 나타났다.
