Xu hướng nguy hiểm

-----

Li Zhenzhen is convinced (tin rằng, được thuyết phục rằng) that allowing her young son to breathe through his mouth while he sleeps will damage his appearance (vẻ bề ngoài). So she has decided to force the boy to stop — by sealing his lips with medical tape (băng keo y tế).

Every night since her son was five months old, Li has covered his mouth with tape before putting him to bed. The mother has been told repeatedly that what she’s doing is unnecessary and potentially dangerous, but she doesn’t care.

She believes that the tape will ensure her child grows into an attractive adult. And in her view, being handsome will provide him with life-long benefits.

In China, a growing number of parents are taking drastic measures (biện pháp quyết liệt) to ensure (đảm bảo) their infant (trẻ sơ sinh) children conform (tuân theo, tuân thủ) to traditional beauty standards (tiêu chuẩn vẻ đẹp truyền thống). In their eyes, a child’s future success (thành công tương lai) will depend on their physical appearance (ngoại hình) just as much as their education — and so they need to intervene (can thiệp) early.

It’s a trend driven by social media. On Chinese social platforms (nền tảng mạng xã hội), influencers are promoting a range of products that they claim will correct perceived physical imperfections in young children: from braces for 3-year-olds’ teeth, to helmets designed to mold a baby’s skull to a desired shape, and leg binds that supposedly make children’s legs grow straight.

Bài trước: Mày dám...