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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.
Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Photo: AFP
Nordic nations

Norway royal’s son pleads not guilty to four counts of rape, amid Epstein link scandal

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius Borg Hoiby faces 38 charges, including rape and assault, risking 16 years in prison.

Germany

Chinese man on trial in Munich for raping sedated partner, echoing Pelicot case

Japan

Do voters expect smiles? Why masks hurt female politicians in Japan

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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The woman (left) had lost contact with her family for more than a decade. Photo: Handout
United States

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

Nathan Chasing Horse’s main accuser was 14 and a virgin when he sexually assaulted her on the pretext of healing her mother of cancer.

Gender

Indonesian actress’ memoir starts national conversation

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Icons and Influencers

Nadya Okamoto on challenging norms through menstrual care activism

With nearly 4.5 million TikTok followers, the entrepreneur – who also started a non-profit to combat period poverty – has clearly struck a chord.

Social entrepreneur and menstrual care activist Nadya Okamoto founded two enterprises focusing on women’s health before she was 23. Photo: Handout
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.

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.

Ally Pankiw speaks at a Women in Film panel at Acura House of Energy, in Park City, Utah, in January 2024. The director, who got her break in the Netflix series “Feel Good”, is now paving the way for other women and non-binary filmmakers with her mentorship programme, Breadcrumbs. Photo: Getty Images for Acura
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.

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.

We explain the reasons behind the distressing Chinese folk custom of Da Sheng in which women faced beatings to exorcise evil spirits and promote fertility. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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