Feminism in China: Past, Present and Future

Feminism in China: Past, Present and Future
Feb 24, 2014 By Margaux Schreurs , eChinacities.com

Historically, feminism in China has strong links to nationalism, the Chinese Revolution, socialism and class struggle. In 1912, Chinese suffragettes invaded the parliament, which inspired the May Fourth movement in 1919, calling for equal rights for both genders. Thus, it can be said that modern Chinese feminism was born in the struggle for national independence. However, although gender equality is a vital aspect in the struggle for socialism, women were never completely equal to men, even under the extremes of Maoism.

Prior to the Chinese Revolution, women were believed to have a lower position in China’s hierarchical order. Evidence for this can be found in Confucius’ five traditional relationships (ruler and subject, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend), which provided the building blocks for traditional Chinese society. Feminism also played a large role in calling for the end of footbinding, as well as the right to education.

My Vagina Says: Open Closed For Business
Student at Beijing Foreign Studies University for feminism project
Source: offbeat.com

Contemporary China and the Role of Women

In today’s China, many families still prefer boys, especially in the countryside. It is still hard for women to break through the glass ceiling, which is especially low in China, and there is still a long way to go until the two genders become equal.

However, on the contrary, many have observed an academic gender gap in China, with women outperforming men. Although this may initially seem ironic in a country where men have a higher hierarchical position in society, causes may be related to over-pampering  in home and school environments, as well as a lack of strong male models at home and school.

 

On top of this, women’s sexuality is more and more advertised throughout various aspects of the media, but many see it as a sign that China is losing its traditional values. Those holding these beliefs focus their argument on the fact that relationships between men and women are an exchange of sex for money.

It can be easy to point fingers at China, and criticize the current gender balance, while women’s roles in the West are also not where they should be. Therefore, China should be given the time to adjust, as economic development may be required in order to have full gender equality. For example, it is hard to have gender equality in a country where heavy physical labor is still a daily requirement in life, especially in the countryside. It is also vital to remember that due to inherent differences between the West and China, feminism itself will develop differently.

Key Issues for Chinese Feminism

Feminism in China recently made headlines after a group of female students from Beijing’s renowned Foreign Studies University (BFSU) held up signs reading ‘My Vagina Says: I Want Freedom’, among other slogans, in order to promote an upcoming performance of The Vagina Monologues. Publishing these pictures lead to thousands of misogynistic comments from various Chinese media outlets, including Sina Weibo. Some social media users even compared the students to whores. The controversy surrounding the Vagina Monologues demonstrates how women’s bodies are understood in current Chinese society.

On top of this, the one child policy has led to a quite severe imbalance between the sexes. In China there around 120 boys to every 100 girls, while the international average is 105 for every 100 girls. Nobel prize winner Amartya Sen estimated that more than 100 million more women would be alive today, if it weren’t for gender discrimination. Most of these would be in China and India. Especially as, in agricultural families, having a girl allows a family to have another child as a sort of ‘consolation prize’; which further downgrades women’s status. Secondly, the one child policy also poses a major obstacle to an equal society as forced abortions and on occasion sterilization deny a woman the right to decide over her own body.

Three Chinese feminists you should know

1) Xiao Meili

Xiao Meili made news recently as she embarked upon her newest project, ‘Beautiful Feminist Walk – A Protest Against Sexual Abuse to Promote Women’s Freedom’. She is walking from Beijing to the southern city of Guangzhou, about 2,000 kilometers in total, in protest against sexual harassment and child abuse. Throughout her walk, she is collecting signatures, staging performances and handing out information to local governments. Her experiences can be found in her blog (in Chinese). She has participated in many other projects promoting sexual equality and freedom – for example, she was one of the three women in China who, on Valentine’s Day 2012, showed up in a blood-splattered wedding gown in protest of domestic violence.

2) Li Xiaojiang

Li Xiaojiang has often been credited as the founder of women’s studies in China. Her famous 1983 essay, titled ‘Progress of Mankind and Women’s Liberation’ has been recognized as the first women’s studies publication in China. She has been involved in many other projects promoting gender equality, for example setting up the first nation-wide non-government women’s conference in 1985, and also founding women’s studies as a discipline. 

3) He Yin Zhen

He Yin Zhen lived between 1884 and 1920 and is often credited as a theorist vital to the birth of Chinese feminism. She focused on China’s relationships among patriarchy, imperialism, capitalism and gender subjugation. Her works represent an alternative viewpoint drawing upon anarchism and other radical trends.

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Keywords: China feminism Feminism is China modern Chinese feminism

24 Comments

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Rostali5

very informative article

Jun 09, 2015 16:41 Report Abuse

ek_col

I always believe for equal rights

Mar 17, 2015 08:20 Report Abuse

dokken

girls from essex carry that sign also.

Jan 06, 2015 21:43 Report Abuse

Guest770686

Nah, they can't spell business!

Apr 09, 2015 09:04 Report Abuse

ycerbsoya

Congratulations to Margaux Schreurs, the author, for another piece of neo-Marxist, femiNazi, socialist rot. Tedious, self-righteous, overbearing drivel, fully worthy of her cause. Mateusz and Guest2293436 have hit the nail on the head, and the rest is just annoying blather.

Jun 06, 2014 19:04 Report Abuse

bananabendingco

I general the role of Woman in China has increased to a very large extent the competitive struggle sees great leaps and now the Stock exchange Culture Rises expectations and Growth is in the Air people see the Corruption Delt with and expect law and order in all things competitive. Filmstars singers are getting international Aclaim The World Over. I see and we all live in this Hi Speed Communications World. Screams Change.

Mar 17, 2014 22:49 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

A well researched and written article. The majority of people these days are so masculine loopsided that I am willing to bet over 80% of people are in essence, guys. The problem with this is that masculine energy is self-destructive in nature. It also destroys its surrounding as it self-destructs. The state Earth is in is a reflection of the huge imbalance of masculine and feminine energies. China as of now is farther down this path than many other countries if you look at the dire state the land is in.

Feb 25, 2014 17:14 Report Abuse

Mateusz

Very insightful... after all, women don't use any fossil fuels, nor items made out of plastics. If only more scientists stopped wasting time on researching global warming or deforestation, and instead, focused on balancing the Earth's masculine and feminine energies, the environment, like, would totally be all groovy.

Feb 25, 2014 17:49 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

Common senses mostly, to those who know a bit about masculine and feminine energies.

Feb 26, 2014 10:21 Report Abuse

Samsara

Guest: When you say "know about masculine and feminine energies", do you mean "know" in the same sense as people knowing about maths, science and geography? Because it sounds to me a bit less like knowledge, and a bit more like the words of a crystal-gazing idiot.

Feb 26, 2014 19:27 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

Samsara: The real idiot spends his loopsided life on intellectual masturbation.

Feb 27, 2014 13:29 Report Abuse

keiranjones

Can you explain what Feminine and masculine energy is please? I've never heard of it. You say it's common sense but that may depend on where you grew up. I've learned that what is considered as common sense in England is not in China. Do you mean to say that destruction is a result of masculine energy? If so, why is this 'energy' called masculine and not just destructive 'energy'?

Feb 27, 2014 19:29 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

There are plenty of info regarding their attributes on the internet. To use an example, impatience is one of the attributes of the masculine energy, while patience being the attribute of the feminine energy. Anyone can be patienct or impatient, meaning it would be incorrect to say "guys are of masculine energy" or "girls must be of feminine energy". Various cultures have different names for these energies but everyone already know what they are. After you surf a few websites and read about their attributes, you can always come up with your own descriptions.

Feb 28, 2014 20:15 Report Abuse

Samsara

Guest2368048: Why are you using vague, subjective, pointlessly ambiguous terminology instead of making lucid statements about the status of women in China? Do you even have anything to say?

Mar 01, 2014 10:38 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

Samsara: Learn to read, then re-read my original post. Earth's carrying capacity rendered any further comments on you redundant, same case with user 2511236.

Mar 01, 2014 12:27 Report Abuse

Guest2368048

ambivalentmace: Read my response to keiranjones. You are old enough to do your own research. When you have done that you won't need me to tell you which energy is responsible for what.

Mar 01, 2014 12:36 Report Abuse

keiranjones

I'm still confused. Who decided impatience is a Masculine energy? or, How was it even labelled that? Are you just talking about opposites and then label the one that is less appealing as masculine? I've never heard anything like this.

Mar 02, 2014 21:02 Report Abuse

Samsara

"Are you just talking about opposites and then label the one that is less appealing as masculine?" Haha, I think that was very perceptive, Keiran.

Mar 02, 2014 23:43 Report Abuse

keiranjones

wink smiley face. Captain Perceptive, in league with Captain Hindsight. I like how this guest pretends this is advanced knowledge based on their excellent research skills then does the fake humility bit by saying it's common sense. How this guest tries to ridicule people for questioning their logic and how this guest doesn't actually answer the questions asked but just points to the internet having information on it as evidence for their argument. I'm tired of people pretending their intelligence is above others because they believe in their ideas like they are facts, undeserved arrogance. One of the more ridiculous Chinese I've met said I could not compete with him on an intellectual level because I wouldn't answer his sh*tty question that asked "what comes first, night or day?" Anyone else I would right off as a troll but Chinese don't troll like that. Some think they're so insightful and use crappy arguments to back up their 'intelligence' like "our history and culture is so old, rich and long." I'm finding this misplaced confidence unbearable. I ask obvious questions hoping that they can be answered in an way that shows some thought, not a belief, but no answer comes, just more spiel about research and energies. comes back to what Samsara said earlier on 'Why are you using vague, subjective, pointlessly ambiguous terminology instead of making lucid statements about the status of women in China?'

Mar 03, 2014 17:01 Report Abuse

knightly

this is simplistic nonsense!

Apr 09, 2015 09:03 Report Abuse

Mateusz

So, in the West, where men are the majority of the homeless, the majority of those who commit suicide, majority to the prisoners, majority of those executed, majority of those killed on the job, and minority of college students, and where men have fewer rights under the law than women... that's the feminist society to reach for? Anyone who thinks that feminism attempts to achieve equality lacks an understanding of feminism... or equality.

Feb 25, 2014 12:02 Report Abuse

bill8899

One thing's for sure ... I lost my train of thought.

Feb 24, 2014 18:24 Report Abuse

Guest2293436

I really don't get it. I've never seen a more empowered gender as the women are in China in the entire world. Women in this country get to demand a free house and a car before even considering some poor dude's marriage proposal, and it is perfectly normal. Women expect to be put on a pedestal by all guys at all times because the only way for Chinese guys to get any at all is to constantly meet their gfs every demand for about 2 years. No one from anywhere else in the world would believe the trials and tribulations a normal Chinese guy would have to go through just to get to hold hand with a Chinese girl... Please.. give me a break... Feminism in china... Girls call the shots here in this country

Feb 24, 2014 12:31 Report Abuse

keiranjones

Without meaning to sound patronising, I understand women suffer from inequality and some of the comments coming from the men in response to the women are atrocious, I can't understand why these women are picked on when say, those like the popular Korean girl bands that dance provocatively appear to be worshipped in china. I am also really wound up by the hundreds of pictures of nearly naked women all over the Chinese web pages and platforms such a a pptv. In my mind all of this needs to stop. I don't feel women should feel empowered by taking their clothes off and teasing testosterone charged men, that's not to excuse men for sick acts of harassment. However, I can't help but feel messages like "my vagina says... You need to be invited to get in," and "closed for business" are not entirely helpful. I have tried to rationalise it in that the message has to be a strong one to hit home and perhaps "I say... You can't rape me" doesn't have the same ring to it. I feel that some of the messages are somewhat brazen and unnecessarily draw attention to the vagina rather than the woman. I feel a demand for respect and to be treated as an equal for being a human is more appropriate but again, perhaps a message like this does not hit with the same strength. I certainly feel I wouldn't be respected or forgiven for a sentence like "my penis says... love me not for my money but me" or "I want a compromise on providing a car and a house." If you support messages like the ones held up by these women could you please explain it to me because I feel I may have missed the point of them. I feel that in china, as you stated in the article, will develop equality in a different way to Western countries. There needs to be a greater understanding on everyone's part and a need to move away from 'traditional thinking' in that some feel men are required to be the sole provider for a family. Of course, if that is a decision made by the couple then so be it, it still comes down to a discussion and respect for the other sex. There appears to be so little trust and respect for both sexes towards the other but if both sides can be less aggressive with comments, slogans and actions etc and if women are given the freedom to make their own choices without being impeded (such as in the working world) then the distrust may naturally break down and bring about more equality. The problems needs addressing but with more thoughtful language. If we are talking about sexual abuse, harassment and murder though then that is a different matter requiring a more hard line approach from the top. Maybe I have answered my own question from earlier? A shock is needed to spark the top into action?

Feb 24, 2014 01:22 Report Abuse