A Little Story About Buying a House

Among almost everyone I know, apart from only daughters whose parents help them buy a home, daughters in families with both sons and daughters have to work toward buying a home on their own. Many parents even stand in their way. And when a daughter gets married after buying a home, they may throw all kinds of obstacles in her path, hoping she will transfer the property to her brother. They believe a daughter’s home should belong to her parents’ family. This book tells four short stories about women buying homes. Some succeed and some do not. The first three stories are told in considerable detail, and reading them was emotionally wrenching for me. The last story is only briefly covered in a short extra chapter, but it still offers a glimpse into what happened.

The first three stories in particular each have their own difficulties, but they are all based on things that really happened to friends around me, with only minor changes. I wrote them because I want more people to see that, even in modern society, son preference still exists. I also hope this book will encourage daughters from families that favor sons to recognize their parents’ bias, live their own lives, and treat themselves better. Dare to stand up for yourselves. Don’t give your parents everything they ask for. You must first be your own person, before you can be someone’s daughter, wife, or partner.