Advertisement
Advertisement
-
TOPIC

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.
People shop with their pets in New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, on September 21, 2025. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong population

Opinion | Boost birth rates? Governments should focus on the population they have

Instead of growing the population at all costs, governments should be practically addressing longer life expectancies.

videocam
5
Iran

Iran sentences Nobel laureate to 7 more years amid stand-off with US

Malaysia

Woman ejected from Malaysia biker event over ‘too revealing’ dress

Trending in China

China women pay for ‘companions’ in role-playing games, spark love debate

Sociologists suggest that many Chinese women view role-playing games as a safe, low-risk opportunity to ‘rehearse romance’.

A trend is growing among Chinese women that involves hiring a “love companion” during script-killing games where participants engage in a fictional scenario, often with a male host. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s Miss Nepal hopeful follows in mother’s pageant footsteps 32 years on

Hong Kong-born Deepmala Kharel Dhakal’s national crown bid highlights pride and spirit of city’s Nepalese community.

Middle East

Road to equality? Iran formally allows women to ride motorcycles

In a country where women’s public presence is heavily regulated, the right to operate a vehicle is a powerful indicator of shifting social boundaries.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Nordic nations

Norway royal’s son pleads not guilty to four counts of rape, amid Epstein link scandal

Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son Marius Borg Hoiby faces 38 charges, including rape and assault, risking 16 years in prison.

Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Photo: AFP
Germany

Chinese man on trial in Munich for raping sedated partner, echoing Pelicot case

The 27-year-old faces trial for drugging, raping, and filming his Chinese girlfriend, and is charged with attempted murder and aggravated rape.

Japan

Do voters expect smiles? Why masks hurt female politicians in Japan

While there was no decline in support for masked male politicians, their female counterparts saw a significant drop, the survey showed.

Mainland China

In China, is ‘family’ becoming a legal shield for rape?

More troubling concerns surface in a high-profile case involving a man who fathered children with a mentally ill woman, lawyers say.

videocam
The woman (left) had lost contact with her family for more than a decade. Photo: Handout
United States

‘Dances With Wolves’ actor found guilty of preying on indigenous girls

Nathan Chasing Horse’s main accuser was 14 and a virgin when he sexually assaulted her on the pretext of healing her mother of cancer.

Nathan Chasing Horse (centre) speaks to his lawyers in court on January 20. Photo: AP
Gender

Indonesian actress’ memoir starts national conversation

Icons and Influencers

Nadya Okamoto on challenging norms through menstrual care activism

With nearly 4.5 million TikTok followers, the entrepreneur – who also started a non-profit to combat period poverty – has clearly struck a chord.

Style Edit

Style Edit: The women driving watchmaker Richard Mille’s creative direction

The RM 037, RM 07-01 and the RM 07-04 Automatic Sport show the maison’s intent to meet women’s wishes for mechanically sophisticated timepieces.

Amanda Mille (left) and Cécile Guenat are at the forefront of Richard Mille’s push to meet women’s increasing demand for mechanical watches. Photo: Handout
Britain

‘Big statement’: Sarah Mullally confirmed as first female Archbishop of Canterbury

The worldwide Anglican Communion, including the US Episcopal Church, has no formal head, but the archbishop is its spiritual leader.

Dame Sarah Mullally is legally confirmed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Hollywood

Breaking into Hollywood was a slog. Ally Pankiw wants to make it easier for you

Ally Pankiw set up Breadcrumbs to give up-and-coming women directors the on-set experience needed to break into a male-dominated industry.

Trending in China

Explainer | Why China Li ethnic group’s 6,000-year pottery tradition passed down exclusively to women

Unique tradition sees pottery dried in sunlight, fired on open bonfires; male members of group banned from even looking at items.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Turkey

Fury in Turkey after woman’s headless body found in rubbish bin

Police intercept male suspects as women’s rights groups express outrage at the latest brutal killing.

Turkey’s flag. On Sunday, the decapitated body of a woman was found in a rubbish bin in Istanbul. File photo: EPA
Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hong Kong must tackle the challenges of a super-aged society head on

With both Hong Kong and mainland China unlikely to be able to reverse the decline in birth rates, investing effectively in human capital is crucial.

Spain

‘Slavery’: Spanish police free 15 Chinese women forced into prostitution

Fourteen people were arrested, including Chinese nationals, after a woman escaped her captors and reported sexual and physical assaults.

Indonesia

Groomed at 15: Indonesian actress lays bare her stolen youth in viral memoir

Aurelie Moeremans’ book has sparked a national debate in Indonesia on how a teenager could be manipulated and abused in plain sight.

Indonesian actress Aurelie Moeremans’ memoir, “Broken Strings: Fragments of Stolen Youth”, details her experience of being groomed as a teenager. Photo: Handout
Lunar

Heated Rivalry takes world by storm

Heated Rivalry takes world by storm
Japan

‘I was a victim’: survey reveals surge in men groped on Tokyo transit

Experts say the 15.1 per cent figure is striking and a reminder that women are not the only targets of molestation on public transport.

videocam
China society

Opinion | In China, the pressure on women to marry is deadly serious

Wedding-day death of Henan teacher highlights desperation of young women caught between modern hopes and traditional expectations.

videocam
South Korea

Why South Korea’s flight attendants are forced to brave bitter cold in uniforms

Flight attendants commute in uniform due to lack of changing rooms at Incheon Airport as labour groups fight for better conditions.

Flight attendants of Asiana Airlines (left) and Korean Air pose at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 in South Korea. Photo: The Korea Times
Sexual harassment and assault

Hong Kong looks to reform sexual offence laws

Hong Kong looks to reform sexual offence laws
Trending in China

Explainer | China folk custom beats women to boost fertility, dire results for not conceiving

Ancient ritual saw women beaten with bamboo sticks, brooms, wooden clubs; in variation of tradition, women were held over a fire.

Fame and celebrity

Meet Poppy Liu, who plays Helen on Netflix’s His & Hers

After studying theatre and women’s studies at university, they started a sex-positive production company and acted in shows like Better Call Saul – they’re also a trained doula.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement