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Women and gender

Women and gender
News and analysis on women's rights, the gender gap, LGBTQ issues, sexual harassment, sexual minorities and masculinity in Asia and beyond.
The woman (left) had lost contact with her family for more than a decade. Photo: Handout
Mainland China

In China, is ‘family’ becoming a legal shield for rape?

More troubling concerns surface in a high-profile case involving a man who fathered children with a mentally ill woman, lawyers say.

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United States

‘Dances With Wolves’ actor found guilty of preying on indigenous girls

Icons and Influencers

Nadya Okamoto on challenging norms through menstrual care activism

Style Edit

Style Edit: The women driving watchmaker Richard Mille’s creative direction

The RM 037, RM 07-01 and the RM 07-04 Automatic Sport show the maison’s intent to meet women’s wishes for mechanically sophisticated timepieces.

Amanda Mille (left) and Cécile Guenat are at the forefront of Richard Mille’s push to meet women’s increasing demand for mechanical watches. Photo: Handout
Britain

‘Big statement’: Sarah Mullally confirmed as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

The worldwide Anglican Communion, including the US Episcopal Church, has no formal head, but the archbishop is its spiritual leader.

Hollywood

Breaking into Hollywood was a slog. Ally Pankiw wants to make it easier for you

Ally Pankiw set up Breadcrumbs to give up-and-coming women directors the on-set experience needed to break into a male-dominated industry.

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Trending in China

Explainer | Why China Li ethnic group’s 6,000-year pottery tradition passed down exclusively to women

Unique tradition sees pottery dried in sunlight, fired on open bonfires; male members of group banned from even looking at items.

The Li ethnic group in China boasts a 6,000-year-old pottery tradition which is passed down exclusively among women, with men historically banned from observing the process. Photo: ccmapp.cn
Turkey

Fury in Turkey after woman’s headless body found in rubbish bin

Police intercept male suspects as women’s rights groups express outrage at the latest brutal killing.

Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong must tackle the challenges of a super-aged society head on

With both Hong Kong and mainland China unlikely to be able to reverse the decline in birth rates, investing effectively in human capital is crucial.

Spain

‘Slavery’: Spanish police free 15 Chinese women forced into prostitution

Fourteen people were arrested, including Chinese nationals, after a woman escaped her captors and reported sexual and physical assaults.

Fifteen Chinese women in Spain have been freed after police smashed a prostitution ring. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Indonesia

Groomed at 15: Indonesian actress lays bare her stolen youth in viral memoir

Aurelie Moeremans’ book has sparked a national debate in Indonesia on how a teenager could be manipulated and abused in plain sight.

Indonesian actress Aurelie Moeremans’ memoir, “Broken Strings: Fragments of Stolen Youth”, details her experience of being groomed as a teenager. Photo: Handout
Lunar

Heated Rivalry takes world by storm

Japan

‘I was a victim’: survey reveals surge in men groped on Tokyo transit

Experts say the 15.1 per cent figure is striking and a reminder that women are not the only targets of molestation on public transport.

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China society

Opinion | In China, the pressure on women to marry is deadly serious

Wedding-day death of Henan teacher highlights desperation of young women caught between modern hopes and traditional expectations.

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Some people in China are sharing AI-generated videos of middle-aged single women crying in hospitals, regretting their choice not to marry or have children. Photo: SCMP composite / Shutterstock / Douyin
South Korea

Why South Korea’s flight attendants are forced to brave bitter cold in uniforms

Flight attendants commute in uniform due to lack of changing rooms at Incheon Airport as labour groups fight for better conditions.

Flight attendants of Asiana Airlines (left) and Korean Air pose at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 in South Korea. Photo: The Korea Times
Sexual harassment and assault

Hong Kong looks to reform sexual offence laws

Trending in China

Explainer | China folk custom beats women to boost fertility, dire results for not conceiving

Ancient ritual saw women beaten with bamboo sticks, brooms, wooden clubs; in variation of tradition, women were held over a fire.

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Fame and celebrity

Meet Poppy Liu, who plays Helen on Netflix’s His & Hers

After studying theatre and women’s studies at university, they started a sex-positive production company and acted in shows like Better Call Saul – they’re also a trained doula.

Poppy Liu in front of a poster for the Hulu show Deli Boys in 2025. Photo: @poppyliu/Instagram
Trending in China

Profile | Zhou Qunfei: ex-security guard becomes world’s richest self-made woman entrepreneur

Woman who began life in destitution goes from factory floor to US$16 billion fortune; says success comes from ‘refusal to accept defeat’.

China education

China tutoring school links civil service exam success to higher bride prices

Wedding betrothal advertisement emblazoned on public bus sparks public anger; officials order institution to stop marketing campaign.

Mainland China

Video | Why are women-only communities growing in China?

Economic independence and educational opportunities are enabling women to focus on their own needs, while social media has exposed many to alternative lifestyles.

Demand for single-gender spaces, including bars, gyms and co-working hubs, is rising in China as women gain economic power and prioritise peace of mind and safety.
Trending in China

‘Hold on tight’: China woman wins 22 pig-catching contests, biggest hog weighs 73kg

31-year-old who excelled at tug of war, shot-put in her youth is top exponent of pinning down swine; says technique relies on speed.

A woman in rural China has won 22 pigs in 26 pig-catching contests over the past year, the heaviest of them weighing in at 73kg. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Trending in China

Chinese ex-policewoman ‘Hotpot’ tackles workplace stereotypes in stand-up comedy

36-year-old who learned combat skills from monkeys in her village growing up as a ‘left-behind child’ uses comedy to help women fight abuse.

Japan

A toil for the toilet: Japan’s PM, women MPs, call for more lavatories

For the 73 women elected in 2024 to parliament’s lower house there is just one toilet, with two cubicles, near the main plenary session hall.

Britain

‘So furious’: UK’s Queen Camilla describes assault by man on train

She responded by removing a shoe and using it to hit her attacker in the genitals.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla leave a Christmas Day morning church service in Sandringham. Photo: via dpa
Trending in China

China woman shocked to see male therapist at spa appointment; mocked for ‘ignorance’

Undressed client balks on hearing voice of masseur; spa boss tells her ‘she is old enough to be his mum’ so he would not be ‘interested’ in her.

A woman in China has been mocked after she expressed shock on finding a male therapist at her spa appointment. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo
China’s C919 passenger plane

Soaring to the top: China appoints first female captain for C919 flights

Promotion of former Boeing 737 pilot Yu Yue, who holds a ‘zero error’ record, called an inspiration to women across the nation.

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Science

Top biotech scientist Chen Xiaoyuan denies harassment claim, says he will appeal

Professor is the subject of social media claims and counterclaims after NUS alleged his behaviour was ‘unsolicited and unwanted’.

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