Visual Methods and Critical Research for ‘Girls’ Day’ in China

Abstract

Gils’s Day is a new form of International Women’s Day (IWD) in China, celebrated by Chinese female colleges students. This article uses visual methods to analyse images of Girls’ Day’s slogan and women’s stereotype, and raises concerns related to the gender identities, gender discriminations, gender stereotypes, and feminine internal divisions. Findings show that ‘Girls’ Day’ enhances hidden gender discrimination by dividing female into two groups. One relates to those young, well-educated, beautiful unmarried women who celebrate Girls’ Day, others are associated with elder (usually over 30 years old), less charming, uneducated married women who celebrate IWD. In this way, IWD is growingly stigmatised and departure from its original intention.