Post-reform gender politics: how do Chinese Internet users portray Theresa May on Zhihu

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article analyses Chinese Internet users’ discussions about the former UK Prime Minister—Theresa May. We gathered data from China’s most popular community question-answering (CQA) site—Zhihu and analysed how Chinese Internet users discuss May. The research findings suggest that Chinese Internet users often deploy gendered discourses in discussing May and that these gendered discourses often contain sub-textual commentary on international politics more broadly. We, therefore, point to gendered mediation of Chinese political discourses, which is shaped by the current political climate and revival of patriarchy in Chinese society. This research contributes to feminist media studies by providing a Chinese example of the growing misogynistic voices in politics across the world and highlighting the role of gendered discourses in political commentary.