Advertisement

Opinion | Why China’s women are talking back like never before

A resurgence of content by women for women is a sign that more Chinese females are ready to engage with issues related to their rights

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
1
Stand-up comedian Qiqi (centre) chats with fellow comedians Ailun (right) and Yang Mei (second right) and fans after a performance at a shopping mall in Beijing in November 2020. Photo: AFP
Phoebe Zhangin Shenzhen

One night, Caicai suddenly had her period. It was late and all the shops near her home had closed, so she had to order sanitary pads through a courier service. When the courier, a man, called her from a shop, he sounded embarrassed as he whispered, “Hello beautiful, did you want … that thing?” Caicai whispered back, “Yes, I want that thing.”

Advertisement

They went on to discuss the different brands and functions of sanitary products in the same hush-hush manner, as if they were buying narcotics on the black market.

After the courier made the purchase on her behalf, he called again, reporting a mini crisis: the shop had run out of black plastic bags for him to discreetly carry the feminine hygiene products in.

Comedian Caicai recently performed this skit during an online stand-up comedy show in China, as the studio audience roared with laughter. After her set went viral, she drew praise from hundreds of women, who said they resonated with her experience. Chinese women are fed up with period shaming, with having to call it another name, hide sanitary pads from men, or feel bad if menstrual blood stains their clothes.

“Menstruation is not our fault, nor should it make anyone feel ashamed,” read one Weibo comment on Caicai’s performance. “It’s one of the most normal physiological phenomena of human beings. Why should we be as silent as thieves about menstruation, and use code words for menstruation and sanitary towels? Girls have to silently endure menstrual pain every month and bear the extra expenses of menstruation, including sanitary towels and painkillers. If we are really striving for equality, please seriously consider menstruation.”

Advertisement
Caicai isn’t the only one speaking up about life in a patriarchal society. In recent weeks, on shows such as a new spin-off from the Rock & Roast web series, female comedians have riffed on subjects close to women’s hearts, in a sign that Chinese women are becoming more conscious of these issues. Besides menstruation, the topics tackled include China’s preference for sons, dating, and being too bossy for a woman. Some of the sets are quite sharp, skewering sex discrimination.
YouTube video player
Advertisement