https://www.scmp.com/rss/501966/feed The latest gender news and features, with a millennial focus, including gender identity, gender issues, discrimination, equality and inequality, and equal rights. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Meghan Ireland always loved chemistry, but as a first-year college student studying chemical engineering, she did not know she could channel her passion for science into the art of making whiskey. It took stumbling across an article about a female chemical engineer who became a master whiskey distiller for something to click. While Ireland’s fellow students could go into plastics and pharmaceuticals, she was going into whiskey. “It was kind of like a connection of, ‘Hey, I can see someone who... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350868/meet-women-whiskey-breaking-glass-ceiling-male-dominated-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350868/meet-women-whiskey-breaking-glass-ceiling-male-dominated-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Prosecutors in the rape retrial of disgraced US movie mogul Harvey Weinstein told Tuesday how he wielded his power to prey on then-aspiring actress Jessica Mann. Weinstein, a central figure of abuse allegations that spurred the #MeToo movement, appeared at the New York courtroom in a wheelchair due to ill health. He is being retried on a count of third-degree rape against Mann that allegedly happened in 2013 in a Manhattan hotel room. Last June, a judge declared a mistrial on the charge after... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350929/weinstein-preyed-aspiring-us-actress-court-told-rape-retrial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350929/weinstein-preyed-aspiring-us-actress-court-told-rape-retrial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:44:15 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang At Beijing’s Babaoshan Funeral Home, China’s only all-female cremation team works in searing heat, defying gender stereotypes while gaining a deeper understanding of life and death. The five women, whose average age is 28, carry out their duties with precision and composure, guiding the dead through their final farewell. Known as the Fire Roses, the team formed in 2022, with Yun Xiaolin as its first member. Yun had originally enrolled in a cabin crew programme at her parents’ urging, but dropped... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3349386/fire-roses-china-only-all-female-cremation-team-challenges-stereotypes-reshapes-mortality-views?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3349386/fire-roses-china-only-all-female-cremation-team-challenges-stereotypes-reshapes-mortality-views?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A leading Indonesian university suspended 16 law students on Thursday after a sexually explicit group chat about their female peers went viral, sparking a debate about gender violence in the Muslim-majority country. Screenshots of a conversation among 16 male students at the University of Indonesia were posted on social media this week, eliciting shock and anger from female peers and a wider societal discussion. The university said in a statement on Thursday it had suspended the young men for... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350283/university-indonesia-suspends-16-law-students-sexually-explicit-group-chat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350283/university-indonesia-suspends-16-law-students-sexually-explicit-group-chat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:08:26 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang I heard an audible gasp in the audience, just as a gynaecologist on the movie screen tries to shove a speculum – a hollow cylinder used to open up a woman’s cervix – into the lower body of the protagonist. The film’s main character, a 25-year-old woman named Xu Ke, grimaces in pain. “Relax,” the gynaecologist says, but her tone and hand movements are anything but relaxing. After a sudden shove, Xu feels the pain, wriggles off the examination table and falls to the floor. The scene from the drama... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349986/voicing-their-needs-chinese-women-are-normalising-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349986/voicing-their-needs-chinese-women-are-normalising-them?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The retrial of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein on a rape charge on which a jury was previously deadlocked started on Tuesday, although he will remain imprisoned for other offences regardless of the verdict. Weinstein is accused of the third-degree rape of Jessica Mann, who starred in the 2015 romantic comedy This Isn’t Funny. The judge declared a mistrial last June after the jury foreman refused to return to deliberate the case amid a jury-room feud. Weinstein is being retried on that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350100/harvey-weinstein-rape-retrial-begins-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350100/harvey-weinstein-rape-retrial-begins-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:34:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A German court on Tuesday sentenced a 28-year-old Chinese student to 11 years and three months in jail for repeatedly drugging and raping his girlfriend and filming the abuse. In a case reminiscent of that of France’s Gisele Pelicot, the Munich court said the defendant, named only as Zhongyi J., had assaulted his girlfriend while she was unconscious at least seven times. Zhongyi J. filmed the abuse each time and stored the videos on a hard drive, the court said. In one case, the assault lasted... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350093/germany-jails-chinese-student-pelicot-rape-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350093/germany-jails-chinese-student-pelicot-rape-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:46:59 +0000 Jennifer Lee Jennifer Lee https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3350381/threat-womens-safety-metas-smart-glasses-stir-privacy-worries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3350381/threat-womens-safety-metas-smart-glasses-stir-privacy-worries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan One of China’s most prestigious universities has apologised and withdrawn a mini-film made to celebrate its 130th anniversary amid accusations of gender bias. On March 31, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) released the film to mark its coming birthday. The institution was founded on April 6, 1896, by Sheng Xuanhuai, an important minister and an entrepreneur in the late Qing dynasty (1636–1912). The video, No 800 of Dongchuan Road, was named after the address of the vast Minhang campus of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3348778/renowned-china-university-apologises-mini-film-depicting-career-man-family-focused-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3348778/renowned-china-university-apologises-mini-film-depicting-career-man-family-focused-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Japanese prosecutor who publicly accused her boss of rape condemned her office on Tuesday for failing to protect victims, after it rejected her request for an independent probe into harassment within the organisation. Very few women in Japan speak out about sexual assault but Hikari (not her real name) came forward in 2024 to accuse Osaka’s then top prosecutor of raping her six years earlier. Kentaro Kitagawa, head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office, was arrested and admitted the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348575/japan-rape-accuser-condemns-prosecutions-failure-protect-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348575/japan-rape-accuser-condemns-prosecutions-failure-protect-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:58:54 +0000 Kamakshi Gupta Kamakshi Gupta https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348812/new-documentary-explores-manosphere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348812/new-documentary-explores-manosphere?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Only biological female athletes, whose gender ⁠will be determined by a ⁠one-time gene-screening test, will be eligible ⁠to take part in female category events at Olympic Games from now on, the International Olympic Committee said on Thursday. The IOC unveiled its new policy on the protection of the female category as part of its initiative to have a universal rule for competitors in ‌female elite sports after years of fragmented regulation that led to some major controversies. The IOC said all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348042/only-biological-females-can-compete-womens-events-olympic-games-ioc-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3348042/only-biological-females-can-compete-womens-events-olympic-games-ioc-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday it was reintroducing testing for gender to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing. The screening will mean Olympic women’s sports at the 2028 Los Angeles Games will be limited to biological females, which would also rule out those with differences in sexual development (DSD) from competing. The IOC is abandoning rules it brought in in 2021 which allowed individual federations... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348045/olympic-womens-sport-be-limited-biological-females?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348045/olympic-womens-sport-be-limited-biological-females?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:44:48 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347654/traditional-gender-roles-prevail-philippines-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347654/traditional-gender-roles-prevail-philippines-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Draped in garlands, Bhumika Shrestha on Monday became Nepal’s first transgender woman lawmaker, marking a proud milestone for the marginalised community in the Himalayan nation. Nepal’s Election Commission confirmed the 37-year-old as a proportional representation MP from the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which won a majority in parliament with 182 seats last week. “I am very excited but also feel the responsibility on my shoulders,” said Shrestha, an LGBTQ rights advocate. “Our... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346797/nepals-lgbtq-community-celebrates-first-transgender-woman-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3346797/nepals-lgbtq-community-celebrates-first-transgender-woman-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines ranks among Asia’s most gender-equal societies by several international measures. Yet ask Filipino women where they truly belong and most will still tell you: at home. A new survey has found that 83 per cent of Filipino women agree “being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay”, up from 70 per cent when the same question was posed in 1994. The findings, released by independent pollster Social Weather Stations earlier in March to coincide with National Women’s Month,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346760/most-filipino-women-think-womans-place-home-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong must do more to shatter the glass ceilings at its roots, moving beyond token diversity to ensure motherhood no longer derails women’s careers, advocates have said on International Women’s Day. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Sunday that women were “holding up more than half the sky” for Hong Kong as they accounted for 54 per cent of the population and comprised half of the government, legal and accounting workforce, with increasing representation in corporate leadership. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345880/hong-kong-must-ensure-motherhood-no-longer-derails-womens-careers-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345880/hong-kong-must-ensure-motherhood-no-longer-derails-womens-careers-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Gender equality in politics remains far from achieved across Japan’s 47 prefectures, research by a group of experts has shown as it released local index scores on International Women’s Day. While nearly 80 years have passed since women in Japan first exercised their right to vote, the politics index fell in eight prefectures, including Kanagawa near Tokyo, from the 2024 figures, while many other prefectures also saw little change. With a score of 1 representing full equality, Tokyo scored 0.386,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:00:11 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346388/celebrating-international-womens-day-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346388/celebrating-international-womens-day-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Men are almost twice as likely as women to be employed in the best-paid jobs in Australia, according to the country’s latest government gender gap report. Male employees account for 64 per cent of roles in the nation’s upper quartile of compensation, jobs that have a total average annual pay of A$221,320 (US$155,000), the Workplace Gender Equality Agency said in a report on Tuesday. Though female representation in the top category has increased slightly, women remain 1.4 times more likely than... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345333/australias-best-paid-jobs-are-twice-likely-go-men-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345333/australias-best-paid-jobs-are-twice-likely-go-men-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:36:17 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A traditional ceremony in a village in eastern China, where men bow and kowtow in reverence to their ancestors while women watch from the sidelines, has ignited debate over gender roles in cultural practices. In February, a viral video captured a compelling scene from Dalei village in Yanggu county, Shandong province, during the Chinese New Year holiday. The footage shows more than 600 men from the Lei clan lined up along a red carpet in front of the ancestral hall. Arranged by age and lineage,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3344612/china-village-holds-ceremony-where-600-men-bow-homage-ancestors-igniting-gender-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3344612/china-village-holds-ceremony-where-600-men-bow-homage-ancestors-igniting-gender-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A 64-year-old trans woman in eastern Japan is embracing a quiet, slow-burn romance with a boyfriend 22 years her senior, often showing up to dates in princess dresses. Kuboyama, a retired information technology (IT) engineer from Kawasaki City who also goes by the name Catherine, was once known for her handsome looks and high-paying job before the sex reassignment surgery, TV Tokyo reported. She says she was drawn to women’s clothes and make-up from childhood and felt little interest in... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3344558/japan-trans-woman-64-enjoys-slow-paced-life-lover-86-wears-princess-dresses-dates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3344558/japan-trans-woman-64-enjoys-slow-paced-life-lover-86-wears-princess-dresses-dates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hilary Knight, captain of the victorious US women’s Olympic ice hockey team, said Wednesday it was unfortunate that a “distasteful joke” by President Donald Trump had overshadowed the achievements of US athletes at the Milan-Cortina Games. The US men’s ice hockey team took a congratulatory call from Trump as they celebrated their gold medal victory over Canada. The president invited them to his State of the Union address and added he would have to ask the triumphant women’s team as well or risk... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344659/us-womens-ice-hockey-captain-responds-distasteful-trump-remark?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344659/us-womens-ice-hockey-captain-responds-distasteful-trump-remark?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:59:19 +0000 Jennifer Lee Jennifer Lee https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344752/korean-reality-dating-show-reignites-discussion-gender-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3344752/korean-reality-dating-show-reignites-discussion-gender-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang I remember when I was four or five years old, my great-grandmother would get busy days ahead of Lunar New Year. She would clean the house, pickle vegetables in an enormous jar and start pre-cooking dishes for the New Year’s Eve family meal. One star of the night, called “lion’s head”, is steamed minced pork meat balls that take days to make. My great-grandmother would go to the market ahead of time and pick out pork belly that was the right balance of lean and fat meat, carefully chopping the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343871/why-lunar-new-year-celebrations-are-about-people-not-process?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343871/why-lunar-new-year-celebrations-are-about-people-not-process?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 dpa dpa The British expert who led a review into children’s gender healthcare says young people have been “weaponised” and misled about the realities of transitioning by social media. Hilary Cass, a doctor, whose review of National Health Service (NHS) gender care for under-18s led to sweeping changes including a ban on puberty blockers, welcomed the draft published by Britain’s Department for Education earlier this week but accepted it is impossible for it to be “completely foolproof”. Baroness Cass... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343635/uk-doctor-who-led-gender-healthcare-review-says-children-weaponised-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343635/uk-doctor-who-led-gender-healthcare-review-says-children-weaponised-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 11:34:08 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344034/hong-kongs-miss-nepal-hopeful-follows-mothers-footsteps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3344034/hong-kongs-miss-nepal-hopeful-follows-mothers-footsteps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration has removed a large rainbow ⁠Pride flag that flew over the ⁠Stonewall National Monument, which marks the birthplace of ⁠the modern gay rights movement in New York. The National Park Service, the federal agency overseeing US national monuments, said that it managed the flagpole at the monument and that the flag had been removed to ensure a “long-standing policy” was applied consistently across its sites. But some elected officials in ‌New York said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343121/trump-admin-removes-rainbow-flag-stonewall-birthplace-us-gay-rights-movement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343121/trump-admin-removes-rainbow-flag-stonewall-birthplace-us-gay-rights-movement?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:39:40 +0000 The Star The Star A woman was told to leave after turning up in a skirt and a low-cut top at the RXZ Forever Legend motorcycling gathering in Kota Baru, Malaysia’s Kelantan state. At the same time, another 30 women were given headscarves to wear after they were found not to be properly covered under the organiser’s dress code guidelines, Sinar Harian reported. RXZ Forever Legend programme director Muhamad Huzaifah Abdul Halim said personnel had been stationed at the entrance to monitor visitors. “The woman that... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342807/woman-ejected-malaysia-biker-event-over-too-revealing-dress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342807/woman-ejected-malaysia-biker-event-over-too-revealing-dress?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 06:00:28 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343286/family-reunion-case-china-reveals-troubling-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343286/family-reunion-case-china-reveals-troubling-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Women in Iran can now formally obtain a licence to ride a motorcycle, local media reported on Wednesday, ending years of legal ambiguity surrounding two-wheelers. Previously, the law did not explicitly prohibit women from riding motorbikes and scooters, but in practice authorities refused to issue licences. Due to the grey area, women have been held legally responsible for accidents even when they are victims. Iran’s First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref signed a resolution on Tuesday aimed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342402/iran-formally-allows-women-ride-motorcycles-historic-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342402/iran-formally-allows-women-ride-motorcycles-historic-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:26:18 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342030/indonesian-actress-memoir-starts-national-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342030/indonesian-actress-memoir-starts-national-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Sarah Mullally was confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England. The worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the Episcopal Church in the US, has no formal head, but the archbishop traditionally has been seen as its spiritual leader. Mullally, 63, a cancer nurse turned cleric, officially took up the responsibilities of her new job as judges presided over a legal ceremony confirming her appointment, which was announced almost four... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341578/sarah-mullally-confirmed-archbishop-canterbury-first-woman-lead-church-england?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341578/sarah-mullally-confirmed-archbishop-canterbury-first-woman-lead-church-england?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:42:28 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Six years ago, Ally Pankiw got her first big television breakthrough: she directed the first season of the Netflix comedy-drama Feel Good. But getting there was a slog. The Canadian writer and director recalls being told repeatedly that she could not land such jobs without first having directing experience in TV – a Catch-22 situation shared by many women and people of colour trying to break into the business. Frustrated by that common refrain and motivated to push back against Hollywood’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340843/woman-director-fighting-gender-equality-hollywood-one-mentorship-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340843/woman-director-fighting-gender-equality-hollywood-one-mentorship-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:15:09 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar When Indonesian actress Aurelie Moeremans released her memoir earlier this month, she never intended for it to start a national conversation over abuse and consent. Her book, Broken Strings: Fragments of Stolen Youth, recounts how she was groomed as a teenager – and how long it took her to understand what had happened. The story has struck a nerve across Indonesia, where parents, educators and officials are now asking how such harm could have happened unseen. Made freely available online, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341036/indonesian-actress-exposes-fake-marriage-and-grooming-viral-memoir?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341036/indonesian-actress-exposes-fake-marriage-and-grooming-viral-memoir?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 05:30:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall About one in six men who use Tokyo’s trains and railway stations say they have been groped, a new survey by the metropolitan government has found – a figure experts describe as unexpectedly high and a reminder that women are not the only victims of Japan’s notorious chikan molesters. While women are disproportionately affected – 54.3 per cent reported being touched inappropriately on public transport in the same survey – the 15.1 per cent figure for male victims challenges long-held assumptions... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340754/japan-survey-finds-1-6-men-groped-tokyo-public-transport-defying-gender-assumptions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340754/japan-survey-finds-1-6-men-groped-tokyo-public-transport-defying-gender-assumptions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang For 11 years after graduating from high school, a 28-year-old woman from a village in Lushan county in the central Chinese province of Henan had fought against pressure from her parents to get married. By her own account, the woman, locally reported as Wei and a history teacher at Lushan’s top high school, had quarrelled, “gone crazy” and even made threats with a knife. Her fight ended on December 10, when she wrote her last post on WeChat and jumped from the seventh floor of what was to be her... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340590/china-pressure-women-marry-deadly-serious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3340590/china-pressure-women-marry-deadly-serious?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340826/hong-kong-looks-reform-sexual-offence-laws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340826/hong-kong-looks-reform-sexual-offence-laws?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Fiona Chow,Danny Mok Fiona Chow,Danny Mok A jailed activist has lost a judicial review against a Hong Kong Correctional Services Department (CSD) rule that prohibits female inmates from wearing shorts in summer, with the court ruling that the women’s standard prison uniform was carefully designed and did not constitute discrimination. High Court judge Russell Coleman said on Tuesday that there was “little merit” in Chow Hang-tung’s argument that the department’s clothing policy violated her right to equality. Under the existing rules,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339778/hong-kong-activist-loses-legal-fight-over-prison-shorts-ban-female-inmates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3339778/hong-kong-activist-loses-legal-fight-over-prison-shorts-ban-female-inmates?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:07:18 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A camping retreat marketed as “Glamping With Pride” has become Malaysia’s latest LGBTQ flashpoint after a poster for the event went viral, triggering outcry among Islamic authorities and a police investigation. The dispute escalated on Monday after the Sultan of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, ordered “firm action” against any activity linked to the retreat, according to a joint statement by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor mufti. The statement said the Sultan had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3339543/malaysian-lgbtq-retreat-faces-conservative-backlash-we-are-not-criminals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3339543/malaysian-lgbtq-retreat-faces-conservative-backlash-we-are-not-criminals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 04:41:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A German juvenile court started the so-called “White Tiger” trial on Friday in which a man is accused of multiple sadistic online crimes including coercing a 13-year-old to take his own life. The 21-year-old German-Iranian defendant was attacked on Thursday by other detainees shouting “White Tiger” while he was being transferred for the trial, his lawyer Christiane Yueksel told reporters outside the courtroom in Hamburg. The defendant has been only partially identified as Shahriar J, in line... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339408/online-predator-white-tiger-trial-germany-over-crimes-against-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339408/online-predator-white-tiger-trial-germany-over-crimes-against-children?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:14:36 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Biomedical scientist Professor Chen Xiaoyuan denies allegations of sexual harassment and says he will appeal against the termination of his tenure by the National University of Singapore (NUS) over an alleged breach of staff conduct policies. The termination, confirmed to the South China Morning Post by NUS on Wednesday, followed an internal investigation into claims by a female PhD candidate who accused Chen of repeated verbal and physical misconduct since early this year. Chen broke his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337808/top-biotech-scientist-chen-xiaoyuan-denies-sexual-harassment-claim-says-he-will-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3337808/top-biotech-scientist-chen-xiaoyuan-denies-sexual-harassment-claim-says-he-will-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 08:26:41 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A member of the Japanese girl pop group Xtraordinary Girls (XG) has come out as transmasculine non-binary and revealed that she recently underwent breast removal surgery. The seven-member idol group has made global waves with their bold blend of hip-hop and R&B, plus retro visuals inspired by Y2K and Harajuku styles. Since their debut in March 2022, they have gained more than 4.5 million social media followers, with fans praising their “strong female energy” and lyrics. The youngest member,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3336008/japan-girl-pop-group-member-comes-out-transmasculine-non-binary-after-breast-removal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3336008/japan-girl-pop-group-member-comes-out-transmasculine-non-binary-after-breast-removal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:00:08 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3339801/looking-back-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3339801/looking-back-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu What is success? Three accomplished women in Hong Kong gave their take on the question at a recent event hosted by Chanel, which set out to inspire and encourage young female students to reach for their goals through reading. In many result-driven Asian cultures, young people are often advised to focus on the destination: the medal, the title, the top job. But in separate interviews with the Post, Hong Kong Olympian swimmer Siobhan Haughey, award-winning businesswoman Joanna Hotung and education... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3335907/how-succeed-siobhan-haughey-and-other-hong-kong-women-trailblazers-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3335907/how-succeed-siobhan-haughey-and-other-hong-kong-women-trailblazers-open?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian lawyers have accused Melaka police of acting unlawfully after a skirt-wearing mother and daughter were barred from entering a station to report a car accident, reigniting debate over censorious standards applied to how women dress in government buildings. The pair were involved in a car accident but turned away from a Jasin district police station on Monday as they attempted to make a report. Melaka state police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar has defended his officer’s action “due to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335920/malaysian-police-accused-unlawfully-barring-2-women-station-over-dress-code?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3335920/malaysian-police-accused-unlawfully-barring-2-women-station-over-dress-code?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:24:16 +0000 The Star The Star A woman who wanted to lodge a report after a traffic accident was barred from entering the Jasin police headquarters in Malaysia’s Melaka state due to a dress code violation, according to police. Melaka police chief Deputy Commissioner Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said an internal inquiry was held after the matter was brought to light. “We confirm the incident involving a woman being not allowed to enter to make a report due to non-compliance with the dress code for government premises as per a government... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3335825/malaysian-woman-barred-police-station-over-skirt-length-forced-buy-trousers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3335825/malaysian-woman-barred-police-station-over-skirt-length-forced-buy-trousers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 02:15:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A campaigner who has been calling for changes in the law to allow the prosecution of men who pay for sex in Japan has welcomed reports that the government is finally considering the proposal. Experts warn, however, that the sex trade – often described as “the world’s oldest profession” – will inevitably adapt to new restrictions, making a more holistic approach essential. Responding to a question from independent Diet member Rintaro Ogata on November 11, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335241/japan-weighs-plan-punish-sex-buyers-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3335241/japan-weighs-plan-punish-sex-buyers-will-it-be-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:20 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A gay man in northern China who married his boyfriend’s sister to secure relocation compensation died in a traffic accident, sparking a bitter dispute over his estate between his wife, his lover and his parents. Xu Tian, a 48-year-old Beijing native and senior executive at a state-owned company, had been in a 10-year relationship with his boyfriend, Xue Chong, a doctor two years his junior. Neighbours said the gay couple often posed as father and son in public. Both families knew about their... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3334358/china-wife-gay-husband-contests-estate-against-his-lover-and-parents-after-mans-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3334358/china-wife-gay-husband-contests-estate-against-his-lover-and-parents-after-mans-death?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japan’s beloved Princess Aiko is often cheered like a pop star. During a visit to Nagasaki with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, the sound of her name being screamed by well-wishers along the roads overwhelmed the cheers for her parents. As she turns 24 on Monday, her supporters want to change Japan’s male-only succession law, which prohibits Aiko, the emperor’s only child, from becoming monarch. Along with frustration that the discussion on succession rules has stalled, there is a sense of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334707/japans-princess-aiko-turns-24-calls-her-inherit-throne-grow-louder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3334707/japans-princess-aiko-turns-24-calls-her-inherit-throne-grow-louder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 02:44:54 +0000