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Two years on, woman who set off #MeToo in China still looking for ‘breakthrough’
- Luo Xixi inspired others to speak out about sexual harassment and their tactics have been informed by her experience and those of other trailblazers
- While there has been change to how allegations are handled, a heavy-handed response to activism continues
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The woman who sparked China’s #MeToo movement two years ago has mixed feelings about its progress as 2019 draws to a close.
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The year ended with the rapid sacking of two university professors following allegations of sexual harassment and a strengthened policy by the government, but it has also seen a continuing heavy-handed response to activism, including the detention of a prominent feminist.
Luo Xixi – who spoke out about her own experiences on the first day of 2018 – said she was delighted by the swift firing of associate professor Qian Fengsheng from the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics three days after he was accused of sexual assault.
Another assistant professor, Feng Renjie of Peking University, was also quickly dismissed in December after accusations of sexual misconduct by several women.
But Luo, 37, was shocked to learn that her friend, the feminist Sophia Huang Xueqin, a key figure in China’s #MeToo movement, had been detained by Chinese authorities on a public order charge in October.
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“I was so fearful when I heard Xueqin had been detained,” Luo said. “That was the first time I’ve thought about becoming a naturalised US citizen after eight years of living here.”
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