The #MeToo movement that started with accusations against Harvey Weinstein in Hollywood has finally spread to China, although it’s facing different obstacles there, thanks to China’s sociopolitical landscape of patriarchal Confucian values and repressive politics.
One of the catalysts for #MeToo in China, translated as “我也是” or #WoYeShi, was a social media post by academic Luo Xixi last month, in which she accused her former doctoral professor Chen Xiaowu of unwanted sexual advances. Although Luo now lives in Silicon Valley, her story went viral in China, and Beihang University suspended Chen and conducted an investigation on Luo’s behalf.
Chinese journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin spoke up on social media about her experiences being groped...