Looking at the conceptual meaning of the word mail order brides, it will mostly revolve around marriages that find roots in ages that are partially, if not fully outdated. The marriages take place in distances that are extended. The device that orchestrated the pioneering of this idea was none other but the web which has grown to be a major boon in the vast world Diaspora.
The practice of organized marriages has been done all over the world and in the recent years, the aspect of the western world has on often terms executed away with it. Nevertheless, looking at the prevalent cultural practices of the Japanese people, one will notice that the areas have vogue organized marriages and will find a lot of Asian mail orders that have become forthcoming to the perception.
On the other hand, in other parts of the world like Japan, Thailand, China and India, there are large numbers of women who have warmed up and are open to this type of perception or notion. Moreover, in other parts of the world, men and also women have downed their opinions on the notion of mail order brides but the situation seems somehow different amongst the mail order brides of the Asian population (Alvarez 11).
The reason that falls behind this perception is basically due to the fact that the mail order brides of the Asian world are much more used to the idea of marriages that are arranged since they are all right with it.
The Asian mail order brides are also a better option compared to the rest of the brides since their prices are generally low. The reason behind the notion that the Asian international location are not in any way excessive in the alternative worth of the Forex world proves that the orders of the Asian brides are generally competitive.
Also, there is a disputed fact that the mail orders of the Asian brides are the lowest in terms of pricing. Another fact that makes them more preferable is the fact that they are not generally stunning and are considered by many as homely and this contributes much.
They also gain more in their preference due to their young age as compared to the other brides from other parts of the world and statistics have proven this fact. They are also known to marry at a very tender age as compared to the rest of the worlds’ population where by their late teenage years, or even their early twenties, they taken the big and bold step of tying the knot.
So, basing on this point, it is evidently clear that they register for these websites at this very tender age (Trinh 102). Their indisputable fact in terms of their sensible and talented character is also a plus for them therefore, making large numbers of people from various parts of the globe to seek for these charming and complement the order mails from these Asian brides.
A mail-order bride is a term that is used to describe a woman who portrays or publishes her intent to marry another person from another country that is more endowed financially, with the main aim of seeking a better life.
Historically, these were the type of women who gave their lists in forms of catalogues and were later selected by men who wanted foreign women for marriage (Faller 39). Sometimes, the men and women who were involved came from different countries and on some other occasions, came from the same country. In this perspective, the situation involves different countries.
The situation currently revolves around women who originate from less developed countries migrating for marriage to more developed countries. Majority of these brides originate from countries of the south eastern Asia, the countries from the Former Soviet Union and the Latin America in the very least extent (So 113).
The nations that are the recipients of these mail order brides mainly are from the more developed nations in Northern America, Europe and Asia. Examples include South Korea, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia. The notion of the mail-order brides was first experienced in the frontier of the American land around the mid 1800s and the first company that is known to have pioneered in the industry is the Brooker & Sons, who were known for the sale of girls or brides from Thailand.
Many men were migrating westwards mostly, those from the east. They did this hoping to find gold, claim land, do business or even farming. Most of them found success in their endeavors although they were missing one thing for sure which was a wife. Due to the fact that there were few women living there at the moment, most found it hard to sit down and begin a family (Gap 117).
Due to this, they tried to find attraction from the women that were living east so the men started writing letters to various organizations including churches and even advertised themselves in newspapers and international magazines. To respond to this, interested women would send their photographs and others write letters.
The whole courtship process was conducted via letters and would even go to an extent where women would agree to be married by men that they had never met in their lives.
The reason behind all this was the basic fact that the women were running away from the poverty that had been subjected to them and were looking for ways to gain financial security and look for better lives in their new frontiers or lands.
They wanted to get more than the simple tasks or jobs that had been part of their lives like a school teacher, a factory worker or even a maid and the opportunity to venture in the frontiers gave them every reason to smile with most of them being single, runaways or even divorcees.
The key relationships between the marriage and the migration notion were simply the policies that were legal, the cultural perceptions, demographics and technology (Reinhart 20). The United States of the early years was coupled by scarce women due to the fears that arose when travelling since there were dangers and difficulties that faced them along the way. The gap that arose or the imbalance between the men and the women created a seething desire to look for more and more immigrants.
The male dominated societies of those days created a situation where there were picture brides due to the lack or dearth in the number of women. The picture brides increased more due to the restrictions of immigrants to America in the early years of the twentieth century.
Amid all this, an agreement that was signed between America and Japan allowed the wives of American immigrants to be given passports by Japan. This agreement brought to a halt the use of picture brides due to the migration of unmarried Japanese women to the United States and also the workers of the Japanese nation who lived in America, also got the freedom to get a female housemate of their choice from any nationality.
The social and psychological of our societies towards the mail-order brides
The social implication of the world’s population towards the mail –order brides is increasingly becoming a nail-biting issue with the world at large clearly under representing these particular classes of people. The notion of most media houses categorizing these people as subservient, sexual or somehow exotic stereotypically has cast a bad picture in the minds of the world population with the world with most portraying them as objects of eroticism and sexuality which has triggered the abridging of their rightly deserved respect.
Life as a Mail-Order Bride
The mail-order brides more so from the Asian world that are part of this industry, are not necessarily the ultimate type of the Asian women whom the western men are looking for. They are usually the women who are basically trying to find a way out of their hardships. The fact that most of them come from the least developed countries of the Asian world is a clear indication that the main reason behind their migration to the more developed frontiers is basically due to poverty.
Most mail order brides are subjected to torture and abuse from their husbands since on most occasions; they turn out to be the opposite of the expectations of their husbands. This is due to the conservative nature and believes by some western men who believe in the old-fashioned style of demanding total respect from their wives and more so, demand for the clean and cook type of women (Coors 91).
In this case, they are subjected to beatings if they fail to comply with their husbands wishes to the extent of some murder cases, which have been a constant thing in America in these pre-dominant mail order brides’ societies.
Why the business still exists
The main reason why the mail-order brides business still exists is mainly because it is a multi-million dollar industry that mainly deals with connecting men who are financially stable. They are connected with women from other countries that are impoverished and the main reason behind the brides’ motives is to gain financial security.
There is also the cultural perception where some countries like Russia, where women generally marry at an average age of 23. With the general refusal to marry women that were older by the Russian men, the women who do not tie the knot by the time they are in their mid 20s have option but to look for husbands in other countries. The notion of brides has also changed in the recent years with more and more men preferring brides for companionship and domestic roles.
In conclusion, it can be clearly stipulated that the key reason behind the existence of the mail-order brides is mainly due to the poverty subjected to them in their respective countries.
The research clearly proves this with a clear indication that the mail-order brides mainly originate from the most impoverished states in the southern Asia which evidently proves of the gap that exists within the vicinity of the entire globe in terms of economic inequality and this should act as wake up call to the governments of their respective countries to take up amicable measures that will cover the fossils of this controversial act by enacting sound actions that will totally wipe out poverty and create better grounds where these ladies can financially satisfy themselves.
Works Cited
Alvarez, Alvin. Asian American psychology: Current perspectives. New York: Psychology, 2009. Print.
Coors, Marilyn. Counseling the culturally different: Theory and practice. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. Print.
Faller, Stephen. The world upside down: Feminisms in the antipodes. California: Chalice Press, 2004. Print.
Gap, Pyong. Asian Americans: Contemporary trends and issues. California: Pine Forge, 2006. Print.
Reinhart, Carmen. The politics of race and gender in therapy. New York: Princeton University Press, 2009. Print.
So, Christine. Economic citizens: A narrative of Asian American visibility. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 2008. Print.
Trinh, Linda. Asian American women: The frontiers reader. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 2004. Print.