For decades, society has imposed a specific age for most things in life such as careers, marriage, and having children. In many societies, family expectations often place pressure on young adults.
Vietnamese women, however, have found a way to deal with the stress of marriage. This approach helps women avoid the stigma of being single, particularly during family events like the Lunar New Year in Vietnam.
The rising popularity of this practice is a result of family pressure on young people to marry and start families. By choosing this alternative, women can manage the expectations without committing to marriage. A growing number of women are turning to services that offer rented boyfriends to satisfy family pressures around marriage and relationships. Minh Thu, a year-old professional from northern Vietnam, resorted to this practice after her parents demanded she bring a boyfriend home for the Lunar New Year.
Single for five years due to her demanding career, she faced pressure when her parents faked illness and expressed their desire for grandchildren. Thu paid several million Vietnamese dong a few hundred US dollars to hire a man five years her senior to act as her boyfriend, Vietnamese media outlet VnExpress reported. Her hired partner, skilled in domestic chores and social interactions, impressed her family. Khanh Ngoc had a similar experience when she rented a younger, attractive man who successfully won over her parents.
Tuan limits himself to three to four clients a month to ensure quality service, he told SCMP. The pressure is then fueled by their desire for grandchildren while they are still able to help raise them.
