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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.
A Chinese noodle restaurant sparked public outrage after displaying a slogan that condoned domestic violence, shocking many that such an outdated phrase is still used publicly today. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Trending in China

China eatery hit for ‘beating wife’ sales slogan hinting at domestic violence approval

Other offensive sayings surface, like ‘a wife cannot be beaten to death and peppers cannot burn in the sun’, ignite online anger.

Japan

Video | Is Japan ready for a female emperor?

Trending in China

‘Fire Roses’: China only female cremation team attacks stereotypes, alters mortality views

Indonesia

University of Indonesia suspends law students for sexually explicit group chat

The students are accused of having made vulgar and explicit sexual jokes about female peers and lecturers in an online conversation.

The rectorate building at the University of Indonesia. Sixteen law students from the university have been suspended after a sexually explicit group chat was leaked. Photo: Shutterstock
Iran

Jailed Iranian Nobel winner ‘critical’ after heart attack

Supporters say the life of 2023 peace laureate Narges Mohammadi is at ‘immediate and irreparable risk’ in an Iranian prison.

China society

Opinion | By voicing their needs, Chinese women are normalising them

In films and on social media, women in China are openly advocating for themselves and fighting taboos around women’s health.

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Trending in China

Ice cream brand hit over ‘soft porn vibes’ after comparing product to ballet shoes

Dessert company receives ‘foot fetish’ criticism amid accusations that it used Chinese word for ‘sexual pleasure’ in controversial ad.

Magnum Ice Cream removed its advertisements and issued an apology following criticism for likening its ice cream to ballet shoes, which many felt objectified women. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
Wellness

‘I was taught to shrink’: rugby player fights against Asian beauty standards

German-Chinese national athlete Sofie Fella urges girls and women to transcend traditional Asian femininity norms and build strength.

Sexual harassment and assault

Harvey Weinstein rape retrial begins in New York

The film mogul, who is accused of raping actress Jessica Mann, is being retried after a mistrial was declared last June.

Sexual harassment and assault

‘Truly monstrous’: Germany jails Chinese student in Pelicot-like rape case

Zhongyi J. repeatedly drugged, assaulted and filmed his girlfriend, sedating her so heavily that her breathing repeatedly stopped.

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A protester at a March rally against sexual violence in Hanover, Germany, holds a sign with the Gisele Pelicot quote ‘shame must change sides’. Photo: dpa
Australia

‘Deeply historic’: Australia appoints first-ever female army chief

Susan Coyle will become the first woman to lead the army in 125 years as the military aims for one in four personnel to be women by 2030.

Lieutenant General Susan Coyle at an official event in Canberra, Australia, in 2024. Photo: Australian Defence Force/AFP
Sexual harassment and assault

Threat to women’s safety? Meta’s smart glasses stir privacy worries

Cartier

The Cartier Women’s Initiative just celebrated 20 years

Amal Clooney spoke on the opening panel to urge action on women’s rights, while female entrepreneurs among the 2026 fellows shared their experiences and advice.

Universities in Hong Kong

Editorial | Supporting women in research helps Hong Kong’s gender equality push

Providing women with mentorship opportunities and work-life balance arrangements sets a good example in the march towards inclusion.

Chinese University of Hong Kong associate dean of medicine Siew Ng (left) conducts research with her assistants at the Prince of Wales Hospital on March 24. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Boxing

Chinese Taipei boxer Lin gets bronze at Asian championships in competitive return

The 30-year-old Olympic champion involved in gender controversy loses semi-final in Mongolia after stepping up to 60kg division.

Olympic boxing champion Lin Yu-ting after her win over Ayaka Taguchi of Japan at the ⁠Asian Boxing Elite ⁠Championships last Friday. Photo: Instagram/officialasianboxing
Universities in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s new academy for female medical scientists aims to bridge gender gap

CUHK’s Women in Science and Medicine Academy hopes to attract 100 early-career female researchers from city and overseas in five years.

Lunar

Olympic diver Quan Hongchan opens up on cyberbullying

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Japan

Japan rape accuser condemns prosecution’s failure to protect victims

The victim, a prosecutor herself, in 2024 accused Osaka’s then-top prosecutor of raping her 6 years ago.

Osaka’s Dotonbori district. Kentaro Kitagawa, the head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office was arrested in 2024 and admitted the assault but later withdrew his statement, saying the sex was consensual. Photo: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau/dpa
United States

Nasa begins countdown for humanity’s first launch to the moon in 53 years

The Space Launch System rocket is set to blast-off on Wednesday with 4 astronauts, with the 10-day flight featuring a U-turn around the moon.

Crime

Sweden charges ‘monster’ man for selling wife to over 120 men

The man, 62, had for years benefited financially from pressuring his wife ‘to perform and submit to sexual acts’.

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IOC

IOC reinstating gender shows ‘disrespect for women’, Olympic champ Semenya says

The South African two-time 800m winner says the policy, which effectively bans transgender and many intersex athletes, ‘causes harm’.

South African Olympic champion Caster Semenya (left) running in the Cape Town SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge on Sunday. She finished 12th in a time of 35 minutes 44 seconds. Photo: AFP
Art

Artist Katja Seib’s surreal portraits blur reality, dreams and everyday life

The US-based German painter places her family and friends in allegorical scenes informed by her own life and classic European art school training.

Postpartum (2023) by Katja Seib. Photo: Elon Schoenholz © Katja Seib, courtesy of the artist and Sadie Coles HQ, London
Gender

New documentary explores the ‘manosphere’

IOC

Olympic women’s sport to be limited to biological females

The IOC will reintroduce testing to determine eligibility to compete in the female category, preventing transgender women from competing.

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Britain

Nurse to archbishop: Mullally enthroned as first woman to lead Church of England

The new Archbishop of Canterbury begins her ministry with a historic ceremony attended by British royals.

Sarah Mullally arrives for her installation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. Photo: Reuters
Sexual harassment and assault

Woman awarded nearly US$60 million in decades-old Cosby assault case

Donna Motsinger was working as a waitress when Bill Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her more than 50 years ago.

At least 60 women have made allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment against Bill Cosby, all of which he has denied. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Should wives always obey? Most in Malaysia and Indonesia say yes

A new study also shows 64 per cent of respondents in Singapore agree that efforts to give women equal rights with men ‘have gone far enough’.

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Sexual harassment and assault

Thousands rally against online sexual violence, pornographic deepfakes in Berlin

The protest highlighted German actress Collien Fernandes, whose ex-partner allegedly created profiles in her name to make contact with men.

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