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February 26, 2015

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Outrage over TV gala’s views on women

CHINA’S annual Lunar New Year Eve variety show, which mocked unmarried women and suggested female officials provide sexual favors to get promoted, has led to online outrage and some media outlets are urging paying more attention to discrimination against women.

Following last week’s program, women’s rights activists sent an open letter to broadcasting regulators demanding that reruns of the show be suspended, that the director and state broadcaster China Central Television apologize and that regulators halt discriminatory programs.

This year’s gala was directed by a woman, Ha Wen. She hasn’t commented on the criticism.

The gala is China’s most watched program — by a reported 690 million people this year — and is used to promote political messages. Sketches this year referred to President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.

In one sketch, a female official insinuated she had slept with her boss when giving advice to a subordinate about how to advance her career.

In another, a woman complained about not having a boyfriend, so her brothers brought out a model, causing the sister to criticize her own body.

Letter signatory Feng Yuan said activists counted 44 examples of sexism in the show.

“We know sex discrimination has existed in China for several thousand years and has become part of people’s lives. The gala will allow people to continue to stereotype women in this way, and let people think they are humorous if they offend women,” she said.




 

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