Is the Bride Price Demeaning to Women?
Given the patriarchal nature of Hmong society as well as the sense of very different expectations concerning gender roles, the idea of debating the worth of a women can appear antagonistic to established Western notions of equality. Some argue that the concept of a Bride Price reduces the social value of women to the status of objects or merchandise. One interesting irony is that educated Hmong women are beginning to command a higher Bride Price because of the perceived value of the skills and benefit that accrue to the grooms family. Is this a sign of positive views about strong, educated women or further evidence of exploitation? A modern perspective would suggest that women remain objects to be acted upon without power or voice. A Counter Argument The bride price serves a symbolic societal function to contemplate and carry out the unimaginable: giving away forever a loved and cherished human being. When a woman gets married, she totally integrates the new clan. According to Dr. Yang
