Opinion | How a TV talent show for older women has thrown a spotlight on feminist discourse in China
- The show, which includes glamorous women in their 50s, fails to live up to its ‘girl power’ trappings, but it has sparked a heated online debate about feminism and ageism in China
The reality show Sisters Who Make Waves is making massive waves in China. Its unusual premise partly explains its huge popularity. Unlike the usual pop idol contests, which feature fresh-faced, doe-eyed people in their teens and early 20s, this one invites 30 female celebrities, singers, TV hosts and actresses aged over 30, to compete for five spots in an all-female band.
“Even though some possibilities in life fade after you hit 30, you can still transcend time and reinvent yourself,” reads part of the show’s manifesto. Viewers gush with comments such as: “After watching the show, I am less afraid of getting old.” “I am delighted that China is beginning to embrace the beauty of the so-called old girls.”
Intrigued, I sat down to watch episode one over dinner one evening.
It is quite a show, I have to admit, eye-catching and lavishly made. Genre-bending, it presents not only the singing competitions but also the whole process of the performers getting ready, socialising, joking and laughing with each other, interspersed with interviews throughout.
