Why do some women hate feminists? Social media and the structural limitation of Chinese digital feminism

Abstract

This article employs semistructured interviews with 43 Chinese female social media users who openly disapprove of feminist politics to examine what socio-cultural factors have shaped such perceptions and how they might limit the reach of Chinese digital feminism. Three themes of anti-feminist discourses held by respondents are distilled and discussed. These are: feminism as a concealed form of disciplinary normality for women, feminists as accountable for undermining women’s solidarity, and digital feminism as merely a trendy business. A contextual interpretation shows that the technological affordances of Chinese social media platforms and a pro-fertility state discourse have conspired to make such misconceptions. By acknowledging the legacy of the #MeToo movement in spotlighting the role of patriarchy in the subordination of women, this article calls for the exploration of diversified communication channels in the future development of Chinese digital feminism.

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