Chinese state media has for years marked International Women’s Day with exuberant praise for the country’s women and thanks them for their contribution and sacrifices for their family, society and nation.
But this year, a video with poignant questions about deep-rooted gender bias descended from the usual compliments – taking Chinese social media by storm.
The video was a collaboration between Chinese skin care brand Proya and China Women’s Daily, the official publication of the state-run All-China Women’s Association, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
What’s in the video?
The video begins with the presenter speaking into the camera and asking a question that is repeated throughout the clip: “Under what circumstances do you judge something based on gender?”
“When we see a traffic accident, we say, ‘Oh, a female driver.’ We say, ‘You really have a nerve, you’re not like a girl at all.’ We say, ‘You’re so quiet, you’re not masculine,’ ‘she says.
The video highlights a range of gender norms and prejudices against women, from bad math to the expectation of ‘getting married’ and focusing on family life.
“We ask women, ‘How do you balance your family and career?’ But we never ask men the same question, “says the presenter.” We ask, “What does it mean to be an independent woman?” But no one ever discusses what it means to be an independent man. ‘
The video also questions gender norms and roles that Chinese men are expected to fulfill. For example, the presenter asks why a ‘real man’ should not cry like the color pink or ballet teaches.
“Why do men not have the right to be fragile? Why is it condescending, not praising, to tell a man ‘you are like a woman’? Why are beautiful qualities like gentle, considerate, family-oriented, or neatly exclusively for women? Is it true that only men can be independent, courageous, strong and career-oriented? ‘asks a group of voices – from both women and men – towards the end of the track.
In contrast – and in line with tradition – other state media have marked International Women’s Day by praising Chinese women for their contributions to society.
People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, on Tuesday called on the public to pay tribute to ‘Her strength’.
Make young Chinese men more “masculine”?
The campaign is a response to a proposal by a delegate at China’s top political advisory body that the country needs to prevent the ‘feminization’ of teenage boys, which he says has become ‘weak, timid and low self-esteem’.
The Ministry of Education’s call for action is not the first official attempt by the state media to tackle the “masculinity crisis” among young Chinese men.
Under Xi, the nationalist leader of China, the government turned against male celebrities, from movie stars to members of the youth, who are considered too slight. In 2019, China’s major video streaming platforms began censoring the earrings of male actors and dimming their earbuds.
But in the eyes of the Chinese authorities, the lack of ‘masculinity’ is not just a matter of taste, but a major risk to the country.
In 2018, the state-run Xinhua news agency published a widely quoted comment that read: “Whether a country embraces or rejects men is … a serious matter that affects the future of the country.”
The article focuses on the most popular male idols, and the ‘sick aesthetics’ that moved ‘gender-ambiguous, heavily made-up, tall and delicate’ young men to a star on television and online.
“The phenomenon of ‘sissy men’ has caused a public backlash because the impact of such morbid cultures on the youth cannot be underestimated,” he said. “When critics say ‘young young men become a nation’, it sounds they may be somewhat facetious, ‘he added. “(But) to feed a new generation that can renew the nation requires the resistance of erosive unhealthy culture.”
In response, a growing number of so-called “masculinity programs” aimed at introducing traditional gender roles to boys and young men through outdoor sports and classroom training have become popular in recent years. In 2018, one such club in Beijing attracted the attention – and some criticism – that students had to walk shirtless in the winter.
On Weibo, many users praised the video of Proya and China Women’s Daily for speaking out against the trend.
“This is the best International Women’s Day promotional material I’ve seen in 24 years,” reads a comment. Another one said, ‘There’s nothing I need to become. ‘I always have the right to choose my own life. ‘