[zielony]

In Chinese cities, except for some ultratraditionalists, people treat both sexes absolutely equally. There are exceptions when some traditionalists consider it their responsibility to keep their family surnames on, as girls cannot inherit surnames. But even now, while elder people consider it shameful to change surnames, younger city dwellers are open to the change of surnames, so it's a matter of time for all city dwellers to accept equal sex.
Those unwanted girls mostly are from the poorer rural areas of China. Apart from traditional views and practices, rural people have to do farmwork... You cannot expect girls to do this as well as boys... So in Chinese countryside people generally would like girls to get married easier so that they don't pose financial burden. In richer rural areas, their minds are not opened as well, as it is a tradition for boys to inherit family properties, and not having boys will make you look stupid. You know, like your daughter and his husband's family inherit your family properties and your family's everything is gone... In a word. having only daughters meant that your family and sometimes clan will, disappear... A nightmare for Chinese, whose tradition is to consider family as the utmost important, more important than individuals.
These girls' family simply cannot afford them, they will lead a even harsh living if they stay with their family, who need boys to do farmwork and cannot spare food for the daughters, in this case, girls are either sent away to richer relatives or simply sent to orphange, some irresponsible parents leave them on the highway. This is a bad phenomenon, the govt is calling on equality of sexes all the time, instead of propanganda they can send money to those poor families to make them afford a daughter... Well, things will change, of course.
Anyway, all nationalities have a history of looking down on girls, but as all society evolve women will be more and more equal to men.