Contrast this with the 1950s when my mother was allocated a job at a state-owned factory. She considered herself lucky even though she got stuck with acid pickling, which involved lifting heavy machine parts into a tank filled with chemicals. Mao’s ideal of gender equality was to deny the physical differences between men and women. The model women at the time were the “iron maidens” of Dazhai village who dressed like men and could carry as much as them. 

 In theory, China has enough laws and regulations to protect the rights of female employees. But the lack of a specific enforcement mechanism often leaves victims in a vulnerable position. Besides, given the intense competition for jobs, employers have the luxury of being choosy. The authorities rarely pursue those who violate the rules and employers can usually get away with a few extra discriminatory requirements. 

But not always. In 2012, a young woman applied for an executive assistant position with a tutorial centre but was rejected on the grounds that the job was reserved for men only. She filed China’s first gender discrimination lawsuit and won a small settlement. 

 A year later, another graduate woman won a similar case. When I interviewed her, I was encouraged by her fighting spirit. Other successful lawsuits followed, but the compensation usually amounted to around US$300. 

Some activists set up a Weibo account to monitor and report violations. Some of their complaints were addressed. 

Sadly, the authorities’ crackdown on activism has hampered these efforts. The growth of gender discrimination in employment has been challenged but it may spread wider in the near future.

Lijia Zhang is a writer, journalist and social commentator