https://www.scmp.com/rss/509601/feed Salomé Grouard is a journalist exploring the intersections of gender, culture, and society. Her work has appeared in Vice News, Slate, Hong Kong Free Press, Cathay Magazine, Tatler Asia, and Mixmag, among others. Previously, she served as digital editor and gender equality lead at Tatler Hong Kong and spearheaded the SCMP's award-winning Lunar project on gender equity. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Balancing careers, family and health is a challenge. For a growing number of people with already packed lives, Hyrox has become an unlikely answer. The fitness race, which has been exploding across Asia and driving tourism, attracts people across professions. Whether they’re lawyers, doctors or entrepreneurs, their verdicts are similar: in a life of constant hustle, Hyrox represents the best of both worlds, combining cardio and weightlifting in a way that fits even the most high-intensity... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3353553/how-hyrox-helped-these-4-racers-find-work-life-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/special-reports/topics/hyroxs-rise-asia/article/3353553/how-hyrox-helped-these-4-racers-find-work-life-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 05:00:06 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Taipei is a special destination for foodies. Besides its famed night markets, iconic beef noodles and a growing constellation of Michelin-starred restaurants, the city’s real soul is in its hidden corners, where you’ll find craft beer paired with mala fried chicken; sweet potato coffee, created by a latte art champion, no less; wild teas poured like wine and Dongpo pork with a black tea soy milk cocktail served inside a hidden VHS-lined bistro. Chicken Bar by Weekend View this post... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351948/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3351948/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-and-drink-taipei?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard French sociologist Émile Durkheim described the classroom as society’s “great workshop”: a place where collective values are forged and passed between generations. It is here that the core lessons of social life, acceptance of others and respect for differences, are meant to take root. For too many LGBTQ students in Hong Kong, however, reality has often fallen short of that ideal. Liam Mak, co-founder and co-director of Quarks, the city’s first support network for transgender youth, describes... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3350488/how-hong-kongs-students-and-educators-are-reshaping-lgbt-inclusivity-classrooms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3350488/how-hong-kongs-students-and-educators-are-reshaping-lgbt-inclusivity-classrooms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard When filmmaker Elizabeth Lo is asked which questions she wishes she got more often, she laughs before answering. “I wish people asked more about my other projects, especially Stray,” she tells me, sipping a coffee in Hong Kong, hours before flying back to Los Angeles for a final round of awards season events. Point taken. The acclaimed documentary director doesn’t want to be defined solely by her latest work, Mistress Dispeller, which follows a Chinese couple through a turbulent time in their... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345504/elizabeth-lo-her-oscar-shortlisted-film-about-chinas-mistress-dispellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345504/elizabeth-lo-her-oscar-shortlisted-film-about-chinas-mistress-dispellers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Hong Kong’s education system is famously unforgiving. From cutthroat kindergarten admissions to hours of nightly homework and an average of five hours of private tutoring a week, children face tremendous pressure to perform in the world’s third most competitive economy. In such an environment, arts education rarely makes the cut – often dismissed as a luxury rather than a path to success. “Growing up, I had so many talented friends who gave up on art as they went through school,” says... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3343401/how-hong-kong-schools-and-artists-offgodtate-are-nurturing-creativity-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3343401/how-hong-kong-schools-and-artists-offgodtate-are-nurturing-creativity-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard For many, the holiday season is a complex ritual. Tucked 359 days after our last good resolution, Christmas promises to be the perfect time for reflection, celebration and gratitude. ’Tis the season to be jolly after all … But is it really? Christmas lights sparkle across Hong Kong, but this year, my festive spirit is choked with sadness. Less than a month before the celebration, Hong Kong lost hundreds of lives in the Tai Po fire: lives that were young and old, some far from home, others... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3337618/celebrating-christmas-amid-news-war-climate-change-and-tragedy-it-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3337618/celebrating-christmas-amid-news-war-climate-change-and-tragedy-it-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard It began as an embrace of seasonal sadness, a song giving voice to a Christmas heartbreak. But for award-winning producer Terry Chan Ming-do, the enduring popularity of “Lonely Christmas”, the song he produced and arranged for Eason Chan Yick-shun 23 years ago, remains a delightful mystery. “To us, at the time, it was a very tongue-in-cheek song,” says Chan. “We didn’t expect it to come up every single Christmas after that.” “Lonely Christmas” isn’t your traditional festive song; it’s an anthem... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3337468/songs-sleigh-how-cantopop-created-hong-kongs-own-christmas-soundtrack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3337468/songs-sleigh-how-cantopop-created-hong-kongs-own-christmas-soundtrack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:15:08 +0000 Salomé Grouard,Kristie Ko Salomé Grouard,Kristie Ko Photography by Alexander Mak and Jocelyn Tam For Johannie Tong Hiu-yan, a social worker with the Mission for Migrant Workers, the needs of the community come first. But after some gentle probing, she finally answers the question of how she is doing. “I feel tired,” she concedes. “It’s inevitable. There’s so much to do, and it’s a traumatic event for the whole community.” Hong Kong endured its most devastating fire in decades, when a blaze, which started on Wednesday, November 26, tore through... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3335340/how-hong-kong-came-together-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3335340/how-hong-kong-came-together-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:21:08 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard For Maria Nemy Lou Rocio, a Filipino domestic helper who has been journaling since the age of six, writing has always been her refuge. “From best to worst, writing truly carried me through life,” she says. “It helped me process being abused by my adoptive family, excitedly document my first crushes, face suicidal despair when I wrote my ‘last letter’ …” In 2017, when she moved to Hong Kong, a city that often reduces Rocio and her peers to their jobs as domestic helpers, she decided to channel... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3332817/how-hong-kongs-zine-making-movement-helping-people-heal-and-be-heard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3332817/how-hong-kongs-zine-making-movement-helping-people-heal-and-be-heard?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour injected an estimated US$5 billion into the US economy, it showed how music can move markets – and China took note. Now the country’s tropical island of Hainan is testing its own version of the “Swift effect”. Over the past year, Hainan has quietly evolved from a laid-back beach retreat into a stage for hip-hop’s global elite. It began with Kanye West (aka Ye)’s headline-making performance last September, which was followed by Travis Scott’s explosive show this... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3331347/how-hainan-using-hip-hop-rebrand-luxury-china-help-kanye-west-travis-scott-and-maybe-cardi-b?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3331347/how-hainan-using-hip-hop-rebrand-luxury-china-help-kanye-west-travis-scott-and-maybe-cardi-b?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 06:00:10 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard In Hong Kong’s social scene, few moments are as thrilling as the first date – and the silent third guest is the venue, setting the stage for connection or complication. Who better to decode the perfect meeting place than the experts in social chemistry: bartenders? We asked the city’s masters of mood what transforms a simple bar into an ideal first date spot. They revealed the keys to atmosphere, essential etiquette and their top venue picks for that crucial first impression. Beckaly Franks “We... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3331293/word-streat-bartenders-guide-acing-first-dates-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3331293/word-streat-bartenders-guide-acing-first-dates-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard The spectacle of the ring has reached a new crescendo in the world of celebrity engagements. Consider last month, when Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo proposed to his partner Georgina Rodríguez with a staggering oval-cut diamond estimated to be between 25 and 35 carats – a stone so commanding it dominated her finger and ignited gossip columns. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Georgina Rodríguez (@georginagio) But this maximalist... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3326334/why-engagement-rings-keep-getting-bigger-taylor-swifts-one-chosen-cristiano-ronaldo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3326334/why-engagement-rings-keep-getting-bigger-taylor-swifts-one-chosen-cristiano-ronaldo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 06:00:12 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard The air at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai thrummed with the rhythmic slap of ropes against the ground. Hip-hop blasted from speakers and the crowd roared as 400 of the top rope-skipping athletes from Hong Kong, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Macau and mainland China converged for a friendly showdown in July, before the World Championships in Kawasaki, Japan. It was the Hong Kong team’s last chance to perfect techniques and choreography under the watchful eyes of officials such... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3326065/can-hong-kong-make-rope-skipping-olympic-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3326065/can-hong-kong-make-rope-skipping-olympic-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard With lattes lifted high, strangers become friends as loud music blares through the cafe-turned-dance-floor. This is the new face of nightlife in Asia – sober, social and safe, taking place in broad daylight. “I never had the chance to immerse myself in club culture until the pandemic ended,” says 21-year-old Aden Low, co-founder of Singapore’s sober event collective Beans & Beats. “By then, my idea of partying wasn’t limited to dark rooms and heavy drinking.” For many in his generation, whose... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3324345/whats-behind-asias-new-obsession-cafe-parties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3324345/whats-behind-asias-new-obsession-cafe-parties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard When Vietnamese-American singer Sailorr’s first live performances resurfaced online in late 2024, it attracted a lot of attention: not just for her hypnotic music, but for her distinctive black teeth. “So I’m not the only one distracted by her mouth?” read a comment liked nearly 2,700 times under a video of one of her performances. Against Instagram’s sea of bright-white veneers, Sailorr’s dark smile isn’t just a fashion statement: publicly practising teeth blackening is a homecoming, a cultural... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3321090/why-asian-women-are-reclaiming-tradition-teeth-blackening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3321090/why-asian-women-are-reclaiming-tradition-teeth-blackening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Lee dreamed of becoming a chef since they were a child. Practising obsessively at home for family and friends, they went to culinary school and slowly climbed the ranks, eventually becoming sous chef at one of Hong Kong’s top kitchens. On paper, it’s everything they dreamed of. But they never imagined that this achievement would come at the cost of being openly queer. In a world still ruled by old-school kitchen machismo, they don’t remain silent for the sake of privacy, but out of fear.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3321244/how-hong-kongs-lgbtq-chefs-are-feeding-something-deeper-and-challenging-rigid-norms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3321244/how-hong-kongs-lgbtq-chefs-are-feeding-something-deeper-and-challenging-rigid-norms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:14:41 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard This past March, an Instagram Reel of DJ Dcr Milda tearing through a remix of Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction” inside a packed Hong Kong cafe did something rare: it made people stop scrolling and pay attention. Not just because of the euphoric crowd throwing their hands up like they were partying at one of Lan Kwai Fong’s clubs on a Sunday afternoon, but because of its casual caption: “Just another Sunday at [a] coffee shop in Hong Kong.” The subtext is louder than the bass: Hong Kong’s cafe... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3319026/how-hong-kongs-cafes-reinvented-themselves-djs-and-running-clubs-vintage-clothes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3319026/how-hong-kongs-cafes-reinvented-themselves-djs-and-running-clubs-vintage-clothes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:45:08 +0000 When they started performing in Hong Kong more than eight years ago, R&B singer Wesley Jamison and rapper Christopher Onoja quickly became tired of being booked in places where they didn’t belong. “Before the 2019 protests, the hip hop scene was really small,” Jamison says. “When we started, the only people that would book us would put us between a set of reggae and drum ’n’ bass. There was no space for us to perform and exist.” Being black artists and part of the non-Cantonese-speaking... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3207818/were-trying-connect-black-hip-hop-artists-hong-kong-reach-out-home-grown-acts-through-their-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3207818/were-trying-connect-black-hip-hop-artists-hong-kong-reach-out-home-grown-acts-through-their-events?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jan 2023 23:15:07 +0000 From singers Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande and Rosalia to brands including Off-White, Moschino and Gucci, the maximalist nail art of Mei Kawajiri has a lot of high-profile fans. The post-pandemic world is embracing messy, bold and colourful prints to uplift moods and help the world transition back to normality. As excess becomes the new norm, Kawajiri, who has been pushing the boundaries of nail art since 2006, is having a moment. “Back then, high fashion brands did not focus on nails, and they were... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3205549/ariana-grande-dua-lipa-and-gigi-hadid-love-her-nails-japanese-nail-artist-mei-kawajiris-rise-fame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3205549/ariana-grande-dua-lipa-and-gigi-hadid-love-her-nails-japanese-nail-artist-mei-kawajiris-rise-fame?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jan 2023 04:45:08 +0000 The Covid-19 pandemic has been a blessing in disguise for Hong Kong singer Moon Tang. Despite the draconian social distancing regulations that left the city’s music scene gasping for survival, the 23-year-old signed with major label Warner Music, released six singles, accumulated hundreds of thousands of streams, performed in a handful of concerts and festivals, and even made a name for herself in the fashion industry. And she did all that in a year. Between an exciting beginning to her career... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3203778/say-goodbye-old-moon-tang-hong-kong-singer-writing-therapy-life-daydreamer-and-being-naked-song?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3203778/say-goodbye-old-moon-tang-hong-kong-singer-writing-therapy-life-daydreamer-and-being-naked-song?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Dec 2022 04:45:09 +0000 From a workout to a meditative routine and a tool for spiritual awakening, the global perception of yoga has shifted over the past few decades, thanks in part to celebrity fans such as Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Britney Spears. Interest in the ancient Indian art rose significantly during pandemic lockdowns as millions of people were confined indoors and YouTube was flooded with practice-from-home instructional videos. The perception of yoga evolved as the global wellness industry... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3201818/how-west-ruined-yoga-making-it-new-sexy-and-india-exotic-playground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3201818/how-west-ruined-yoga-making-it-new-sexy-and-india-exotic-playground?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Dec 2022 06:00:19 +0000 Sexual assault, depression and attempted suicide might not be what tourists to Japan and even locals themselves associate with the world-famous geishas, traditional entertainers in kimonos with elaborate hair and make-up who are trained in traditional Japanese performing arts. But viral tweets by a former maiko – an apprentice geisha – have highlighted that there is criminal and sexist treatment amid the centuries-old and secretive culture. Kiyoha Kiritaka, 23, sparked debate when her posts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3199260/japanese-ex-maiko-spills-tea-sex-assault-will-other-geishas-say-metoo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3199260/japanese-ex-maiko-spills-tea-sex-assault-will-other-geishas-say-metoo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Nov 2022 03:00:15 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3198705/most-seoul-halloween-crush-victims-were-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3198705/most-seoul-halloween-crush-victims-were-women?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Nov 2022 07:15:22 +0000 Like many Hongkongers, Harriet Lam lost her job during the pandemic. Before 2020, the music-festival lover worked as cabin crew for Finnair. As someone who used to fly around the world all the time, getting stuck in Hong Kong hit her hard. “Everybody was so stressed, running around buying surgical masks just to stay stuck here … I didn’t want to be part of global waste generated by masks, and I certainly wanted to do something with my time,” she says. Lam decided to combine some of her lifelong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3198277/3-pandemic-born-hong-kong-fashion-brands-show-how-citys-style-has-evolved?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3198277/3-pandemic-born-hong-kong-fashion-brands-show-how-citys-style-has-evolved?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Nov 2022 23:45:16 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3196179/has-metoo-movement-brought-structural-change-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3196179/has-metoo-movement-brought-structural-change-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:32:11 +0000 In 2017, after the publication of an article in The New York Times that exposed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual harasser and abuser, the #MeToo movement went viral on social media and entered the history books. The Me Too campaign, originally created by activist Tarana Burke, allowed millions of survivors to describe their experiences of being harassed, groped, sexually assaulted and threatened. Many found an understanding community which helped their healing and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3195921/five-years-has-metoo-hit-wall-or-deeper-change-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3195921/five-years-has-metoo-hit-wall-or-deeper-change-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:01:31 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3192854/win-diversity-emmys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3192854/win-diversity-emmys?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0000 Squid Game did not go to the 74th Emmy Awards to play. With its impressive 14 nominations – including one for most outstanding drama series, the first non-English language series to be so recognised – the Korean show had made history even before stepping onto the competition’s red carpet in Los Angeles. The cast of Netflix’s most watched series did more than just show up on Monday. Lead actor Lee Jung-jae and director Hwang Dong-hyuk became the first Asians to win the top awards of outstanding... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192596/squid-games-emmy-success-korean-cultures-latest-blow-against-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192596/squid-games-emmy-success-korean-cultures-latest-blow-against-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2022 07:00:15 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3192108/queen-elizabeth-ii-complex-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3192108/queen-elizabeth-ii-complex-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Sep 2022 01:00:29 +0000 Liz Truss, Britain’s former foreign secretary, has been chosen to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister, beating former chancellor Rishi Sunak in the race for the top job. For the third time in history, a woman will lead the country. Very “girlboss”. But does it mean that Britain will become a better place to be a woman? Not necessarily. In the case of Truss, her policy proposals, admiration for Margaret Thatcher and loyalty towards Johnson do not augur well for the cause of women’s... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3191811/why-expect-liz-truss-tackle-sexism-and-womens-issues-especially?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3191811/why-expect-liz-truss-tackle-sexism-and-womens-issues-especially?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:30:16 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3190505/roe-vs-wade-rekindles-abortion-debate-us-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3190505/roe-vs-wade-rekindles-abortion-debate-us-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 Starting this week in Scotland, menstrual products will be available for free in places like pharmacies and community centres. Thanks to legislation approved by the Scottish parliament in 2020, menstrual products will no longer be perceived as a luxury product. The move is an acknowledgement that periods can be painful and disruptive of one’s life or health. This should only be the beginning. With Scotland showing the way, there are so many other period-related areas that need governmental... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3189343/scotland-makes-menstrual-products-available-free-time-medical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3189343/scotland-makes-menstrual-products-available-free-time-medical?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2022 06:45:17 +0000 There is no better time to shine a light on the Hong Kong independent music scene than now. The anti-government protests of 2019, the coronavirus pandemic and isolation brought about by the stringent social distancing restrictions have helped cultivate a stronger cultural identity in young people in the city, while a new generation of assured, creatively confident artists has emerged. For the women who are taking over the scene, it means celebrating their talent while grappling with legacy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3189022/seven-women-independent-musicians-hong-kong-how-music?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3189022/seven-women-independent-musicians-hong-kong-how-music?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Aug 2022 23:15:21 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3188682/monkeypox-isnt-gay-disease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3188682/monkeypox-isnt-gay-disease?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2022 08:00:25 +0000 “Monkeypox is not a gay disease”: these are the words that Andy Seale, a World Health Organization adviser and other health experts, have had to repeat over and over again in the past weeks. Since May, more than 30,000 people have contracted the monkeypox virus. While it can spread to anyone through all kinds of close contact, most of the cases reported outside Africa were spread within the LGBTQ community, and particularly among gay and bisexual men. Experts have also noted that during the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3188626/monkeypox-outbreaks-increase-urgency-fight-against-homophobia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3188626/monkeypox-outbreaks-increase-urgency-fight-against-homophobia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2022 07:15:17 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3187261/tangshan-attacks-reopen-chinas-difficult-debate-gender-based-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3187261/tangshan-attacks-reopen-chinas-difficult-debate-gender-based-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3184577/cannabis-and-health-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3184577/cannabis-and-health-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jul 2022 08:00:27 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3183771/pride-month-round-rainbow-washing-transgender-athletes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3183771/pride-month-round-rainbow-washing-transgender-athletes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jul 2022 08:00:16 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3182932/assaulted-no-tangshan-attack-reopens-debate-gender-based-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3182932/assaulted-no-tangshan-attack-reopens-debate-gender-based-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:00:14 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3180303/depp-vs-heard-lawsuit-will-shape-way-we-understand-domestic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3180303/depp-vs-heard-lawsuit-will-shape-way-we-understand-domestic-violence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jun 2022 08:00:19 +0000 Are we tired of hearing about the Heard vs Depp lawsuit? Yes, we are. The defamation suit American actor Johnny Depp filed against his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, has been everywhere – in the news, on social media and in everyday conversation for at least six weeks. A Virginia jury ruled this week that Heard defamed Depp when she called herself “a public figure representing domestic abuse” in a Washington Post opinion piece published in 2018. The jury awarded Depp US$15 million in damages,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180210/social-media-trial-amber-heard-johnny-depp-fans-devastating-those?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180210/social-media-trial-amber-heard-johnny-depp-fans-devastating-those?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jun 2022 03:30:25 +0000 Irene Magdalena’s first kiss with a woman wasn’t physical, but virtual. It happened in the most famous life-simulation video game in the world: The Sims. “It was really eye opening,” said Magdalena, an Indonesian trans content creator using they/them pronouns. “I remember thinking, ‘I can date both a man and a woman? Whoa, this is so cool!’” Born and raised in Jakarta, Magdalena didn’t feel safe discussing their sexuality with family or friends. They had been having crushes on girls since middle... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3176752/how-online-games-are-empowering-asias-lgbt-and-queer-folk-sims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3176752/how-online-games-are-empowering-asias-lgbt-and-queer-folk-sims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 May 2022 05:00:10 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3176734/access-safe-abortion-still-struggle-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3176734/access-safe-abortion-still-struggle-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 May 2022 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3170941/beauty-biases-anti-feminist-president-and-domestic-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3170941/beauty-biases-anti-feminist-president-and-domestic-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Mar 2022 08:00:20 +0000 Describing Vladimir Putin as “manly” is a euphemism. Throughout his political career, Russia’s leader has relied on hyper-masculine performances to build a macho image for his supporters. Posing shirtless while riding horses, petting tigers, firing big guns and doing martial arts for the cameras have become an inherent part of his brand. His alpha male image is so exaggerated that many tend to not take it seriously. He has been Photoshopped riding bears, eagles and sharks, and even carrying a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3170500/how-putins-toxic-masculinity-has-driven-his-violent-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3170500/how-putins-toxic-masculinity-has-driven-his-violent-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Mar 2022 19:30:17 +0000 In August, a South Korean man dressed as the Joker live-streamed himself harassing activists who had gathered in Daejeon city to protest against advertisers profiting from YouTube videos that promoted hatred against women. His words were chilling: “I heard that there were f*****g feminists here; I’m going to murder them all.” According to Lee Hyo-rin, from the women’s rights group Haeil, no passers-by stepped in as the man chased the activists down the street. “He clung to me, insulted me and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3155871/south-korean-women-fight-back-disillusioned-young-men-seek-cancel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3155871/south-korean-women-fight-back-disillusioned-young-men-seek-cancel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Nov 2021 00:47:55 +0000 Halloween this year saw a new wave of costume trends inspired by popular culture, such as Squid Game, Among Us, and The Mandalorian. But some costumes are timeless. Dressing up as a witch is a perennial Halloween favourite, but the reason for the endurance of this iconic figure might not be the one expected. Usually portrayed with a large unflattering black dress, a hooked nose and a few warts, these sorcerers are associated in the collective psyche with being old, hideous and fairy-tale... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3154521/squid-game-may-be-years-halloween-costume-fad-heres-why-witches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3154521/squid-game-may-be-years-halloween-costume-fad-heres-why-witches?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:45:09 +0000 When Joyce Chen* returned to her native Hong Kong in April 2019, she was looking forward to a happy reunion. After six years in Los Angeles, she felt it was time to reconnect with her family before deciding where her filmmaker career would take her. She could not have imagined the effort to readapt to the city, which was wracked by heavy protests. “I was affected by what was happening in Hong Kong, but I was also emotionally exhausted by my new work,” she said. “I started having anxiety and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3149898/why-cbd-so-popular-stressed-out-hong-kong-whether-drinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3149898/why-cbd-so-popular-stressed-out-hong-kong-whether-drinks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Sep 2021 02:45:21 +0000 Bertha Chan is a regular at plus-size fashion shows. From her native Hong Kong to Norway, this advocate for self-love has travelled the world to attend the events of a community she considers herself part of. But one of her trips to the United States exposed an unexpected problem. Chan’s American friends refused to acknowledge her as part of the plus-size community. To them, she was “curvy”, “chubby”, but not big enough to claim the title of “plus-size”, she explained. “I’m smaller than them, so... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3145594/im-considered-huge-hong-kong-how-being-plus-size-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3145594/im-considered-huge-hong-kong-how-being-plus-size-model?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Aug 2021 23:45:18 +0000 One would think that for an athlete’s outfit, the sole consideration should be comfort. This is the case – except when the athlete happens to be a woman. These double standards came under the spotlight in mid-July when the Norwegian women’s beach handball team wore shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a competition. For the athletes, it was a practical choice: the traditional bikini makes them feel unnecessarily sexualised, “naked”, “watched” and uncomfortable, especially during their... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3143707/bikini-bottoms-vs-shorts-time-stop-sexualising-women-athletes-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3143707/bikini-bottoms-vs-shorts-time-stop-sexualising-women-athletes-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:30:31 +0000