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Women and gender

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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.
Protesters gather in Sipitang, Malaysia on Sunday demanding justice for Zara Qairina Mahathir. Photo: Facebook/dunsindumin.sipitang.75
Malaysia

‘A show of anger’: in Malaysia, Zara’s death ignites outrage over impunity

The 13-year-old’s mysterious death at a boarding school has unearthed simmering public frustration as protests erupt nationwide.

Afghanistan

Taliban investigates death threats against UN’s Afghan women

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Trending in China

‘Do what you think is beautiful’: China hurdler derides gossip, embraces confidence

Beauty

Why Asian women are reclaiming tradition with teeth blackening

Teeth blackening was a traditional practice in countries like Vietnam and Japan, but fell out of favour as Western beauty norms prevailed.

Aspiring fashion designer Mou Isabel Phung, who goes by Mou, at Camille Renée’s senior show at the Columbus College of Art and Design. Photo: Gabrielle Shamon
Trending in China

China TV host sparks no kids debate, reveals plans to hire carers for old age

Famous television personality says being single is ‘not bad’, adds that when you learn to love yourself, it gets harder to fall for someone else.

Gender

American Eagle’s ‘blue genes’ campaign sparks uproar

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Japan

Japan loses nearly 1 million people in 16th straight year of population decline

While the number of native Japanese fell by a record 908,000, foreign residents increased amid debate over immigration policy.

Pedestrians walk through a crossing at Shinjuku business and shopping district in Tokyo. According to government data, the country’s population decline accelerated due amid record low births. Photo: EPA-EFE
Japan

Meet the woman refusing to be silenced by Japan’s far-right

Tsurugashima City lawmaker Megumi Fukushima is a vocal critic of the ‘Japanese First’ party Sanseito.

My Take

My Take | China’s online gender wars won’t stop without space for debate on social issues

Feisty discussions on Chinese social media cause tensions to flare between men and women – often made worse by commercial interests.

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Malaysia

‘Deeply regressive’: sanitary pad protest stirs outrage in Malaysia

The DAP’s stunt came days after a new report detailing how menstrual stigma affects Malaysian girls’ school attendance and mental well-being.

A member of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, holds a sanitary pad at Sunday’s protest. Photo: Facebook
Trending in China

Sex, lies and video games: the heated debate over sexism and misogyny in China

Controversies ranging from a rape case to a popular game about gold diggers are fuelling intense discussions and ‘gender antagonism’.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
First Mention

When a university student, drugged and sexually assaulted by her boss, ended up dead

In 1994 the Post reported how a 21-year-old died after being drugged and subjected to a sex attack by a property agent who filmed his crime.

Good Schools Guide

Adolescence and masculinity: shaping male roles in a social media-led world

Hong Kong experts discuss the impact of the cyberbullying and misogyny of followers of Andrew Tate, against the wider influences in a society encouraging more nuanced versions of masculinity.

China birth rate

China’s US$500-a-year baby subsidy to boost population

First national childcare support scheme, a supplement to local baby bonus programmes, aimed at reversing population decline.

Photo: Reuters
China birth rate

‘Milestone’: China launches first national childcare subsidies amid birth crisis

But analysts warn the cash transfers may be too little, too late.

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A nurse takes care of a newborn baby at a hospital in Fuyang, in China’s eastern Anhui province on January 17, 2023. Photo: AFP
War and conflict

Opinion | For war-ravaged youth, education is an anchor in the chaos, not a luxury

Education systems adapted to local conditions are strategic, long-term investments in community resilience. It must be treated as a frontline intervention in a crisis.

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Gender

Chinese officials not amused by ‘gender antagonism’ in comedy

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Singapore

Singapore jails bus driver over relationship with 13-year-old

The man, now 30, was sentenced to eight years’ jail and six strokes of the cane.

The relationship between a Singapore bus driver and a 13-year-old began online, and led to multiple offences. Photo: Singapore
Sexual harassment and assault

Hockey Canada sex assault trial: all 5 players found not guilty

The judge cited insufficient proof and lack of credibility in the allegations by the complainant about the 2018 hotel room encounter.

India

Indian brothers wed same woman in ancient ritual, defying legal ban

Polyandry, where a woman has multiple husbands, is illegal in India but allowed in some regions to preserve ancient traditions.

South Korea

South Korea reverses birth rate decline with its fastest growth in 40 years

In 2024, South Korea ranked among the lowest five nations in birth rates, according to the World Population Review.

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South Korea’s birth rate surged 6.9 per cent in early 2024, driven by increased marriages, reversing a decade-long decline. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Trump-led DOJ wants to speak to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend

Following backlash over Epstein records, the DOJ’s overture to Ghislaine Maxwell is part of President Trump’s directive to release ‘all credible evidence’.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell (right) and US financier Jeffrey Epstein at Queen’ Elizabeth’s log cabin at Balmoral, Scotland. Photo: US District Court for the Southern District of New York/AFP
Comedians and comedy

Chinese officials accuse online stand-up shows of stirring ‘gender antagonism’

Zhejiang officials hope ‘rising stand-up comedy scene can become more rational and profound, with less division and more understanding’.

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India

Skeletal remains force India to probe Dharmasthala mass burial claims

Hundreds of secret burials linked to Dharmasthala, Karnataka, have come to light as a whistle-blower eyewitness seeks protection.

HKEX

Editorial | HKEX success in putting women on boards a boon to Hong Kong

Progress on boardroom diversity is an encouraging sign that the city is on track to better tap the potential of half of its population.

Hong Kong’s stock exchange marked its busiest day of the year on July 9 as five companies made their trading debuts. Photo: Aileen Chuang
Fashion

Language Matters | How the kebaya became a symbol of heritage throughout Southeast Asia

The Unesco-listed garment is proudly worn from Indonesia to Malaysia, its name revealing centuries of cultural exchange with Asia and Europe.

Indonesian women wear kebayas at a fashion show dedicated to the garment, which is a symbol of pride in many Southeast Asian countries. Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Lunar

Chinese university student’s expulsion sparks backlash

Books and literature

How foodie novel Butter stirs up Japan’s issues with sexism and misogyny

Asako Yuzuki’s novel has gained a cult following around the world for skewering Japan on its problems with how women are viewed and treated.

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