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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.
China’s first female professional tree climber, who was once an elite runner afraid of heights, has transformed her fear into a successful career, winning awards and teaching the craft. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com
Trending in China

China’s first female expert tree climber turns fear of heights into thriving career

Former track athlete branches out and excels working at great heights; says women bring special advantages to job.

Middle East

Jailed Iran Nobel laureate transferred to hospital after medical crisis

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The Philippines

‘Foreigner won’: Filipinos divided over pageant winner’s US roots

Gender

The chess champion helping drive competition reforms

The chess champion helping drive competition reforms
Trending in China

‘Female Knights’: China mums reshape food delivery by juggling freedom and family

Band of sisters who started out as strangers find empowerment on the road; share delivery orders if business is slow.

Wellness

Why are we still judging how mothers feed their babies?

Between Hewitt’s essay on choosing formula and Willis breastfeeding her toddler, the ‘breast is best’ conversation remains loaded with judgment.

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United States

US Supreme Court restores access to abortion pill mifepristone

Women seeking abortions will be able to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor.

A pro-abortion rights activist holds a box of mifepristone during a rally in front of the US Supreme Court in 2024. Photo: AFP
Gender

Helping the families of the domestic helpers killed in Tai Po fire

Africa

‘A lot of suicide’: Sudan war’s sexual violence sparks mental health crisis

The horrific scenario includes the shooting and raping of a health worker - with a woman in labour dying - and many suicides to avoid rape.

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New Zealand

New Zealand officials reject statue remembering Japan’s WWII sex slaves

The government said feedback for the statue application included formal representations from Japan.

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A statue of a ‘comfort woman’, pictured in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2020. Japan forced up to 200,000 women from Korea, China and Southeast Asia into sexual slavery between 1932 and 1945. Photo: Reuters
Fashion

Mark Gong – loved by Rihanna and Lisa – on designing for the modern woman

The Shanghai-based designer is inspired by female stars like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter – and is all for women embracing their ‘nasty, messy’ desires.

Shanghai-based Mark Gong is dialed into pop culture and internet memes alike. Photo: Handout
Religion

Pope meets first female Archbishop of Canterbury in symbolic Vatican encounter

Sarah Mullally, the first woman to serve as spiritual leader of the Church of England, and the pope exchanged gifts and prayed together.

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Trending in China

China Gen Z snipers nicknamed ‘Sweetheart’, ‘Gun Queen’ challenge gender stereotypes

Female sharpshooters go the extra mile physically and mentally to become the very best at handling heavy weapons.

Hong Kong’s Denise Yeung to become first Chinese woman to race in Road to Le Mans

Competitive mother of three in her 50s says she entered the gruelling race in France in June to tell her children ‘age is just a number’.

Denise Yeung has prepared for more than nine months for the race, which she says typically has only two or three women drivers, who are usually in their 20s. Photo: Denise Yeung
South Korea

How a dropped sex assault case cost an aspiring South Korean officer her life

Thousands sign petition demanding a new probe into the woman’s death after police dismissed her case, igniting public fury.

A petition urges a new investigation into a South Korean woman’s suicide after police dismissed her sexual assault case. Photo: Shutterstock
Food and Drinks

Meet the women in whiskey breaking the glass ceiling in male-dominated industry

A growing number of women are becoming leaders in the traditionally male-dominated US whiskey industry, from making it to promoting it.

Sexual harassment and assault

Weinstein preyed on aspiring US actress, court told in rape retrial

The Hollywood mogul took advantage of Jessica Mann by enticing her with a film role she had no chance of getting, prosecutors say.

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Trending in China

China eatery hit for ‘beating wife’ sales slogan hinting at domestic violence approval

Other offensive sayings surface, like ‘a wife cannot be beaten to death and peppers cannot burn in the sun’, ignite online anger.

A Chinese noodle restaurant sparked public outrage after displaying a slogan that condoned domestic violence, shocking many that such an outdated phrase is still used publicly today. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Japan

Video | Is Japan ready for a female emperor?

A new poll shows most Japanese support a woman ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne, even as the prime minister proposes a plan that preserves the male-line succession.

Trending in China

‘Fire Roses’: China only female cremation team attacks stereotypes, alters mortality views

Women face mental and physical rigours of dealing with death on a daily basis, say it gives them a better understanding of life.

Lunar

The palaeontologist making her mark in what was a ‘gentleman’s science’

The palaeontologist making her mark in what was a ‘gentleman’s science’
Indonesia

University of Indonesia suspends law students for sexually explicit group chat

The students are accused of having made vulgar and explicit sexual jokes about female peers and lecturers in an online conversation.

The rectorate building at the University of Indonesia. Sixteen law students from the university have been suspended after a sexually explicit group chat was leaked. Photo: Shutterstock
Iran

Jailed Iranian Nobel winner ‘critical’ after heart attack

Supporters say the life of 2023 peace laureate Narges Mohammadi is at ‘immediate and irreparable risk’ in an Iranian prison.

China society

Opinion | By voicing their needs, Chinese women are normalising them

In films and on social media, women in China are openly advocating for themselves and fighting taboos around women’s health.

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Trending in China

Ice cream brand hit over ‘soft porn vibes’ after comparing product to ballet shoes

Dessert company receives ‘foot fetish’ criticism amid accusations that it used Chinese word for ‘sexual pleasure’ in controversial ad.

Magnum Ice Cream removed its advertisements and issued an apology following criticism for likening its ice cream to ballet shoes, which many felt objectified women. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
Wellness

‘I was taught to shrink’: rugby player fights against Asian beauty standards

German-Chinese national athlete Sofie Fella urges girls and women to transcend traditional Asian femininity norms and build strength.

German-Chinese rugby player Sofie Fella, who competes for the German national team, wants women to understand that they can be physically strong if they want to be, and that they are allowed to “take up space”. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Sexual harassment and assault

Harvey Weinstein rape retrial begins in New York

The film mogul, who is accused of raping actress Jessica Mann, is being retried after a mistrial was declared last June.

Sexual harassment and assault

‘Truly monstrous’: Germany jails Chinese student in Pelicot-like rape case

Zhongyi J. repeatedly drugged, assaulted and filmed his girlfriend, sedating her so heavily that her breathing repeatedly stopped.

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