China’s Male Leaders Signal to Women That Their Place Is in the Home

The New York Times: At the National Women’s Congress in China, President Xi Jinping emphasized the role of women in marriage and childbearing rather than workplace equality, a shift from previous years. This change aligns with the Communist Party’s response to the demographic crisis and economic slowdown, urging women to focus on traditional domestic roles. The Congress, lacking female representation in the Party’s top policy body for the first time in two decades, highlighted the push for women to have more children to address the plummeting birthrate.

Discussions of gender equality were sidelined, and feminist voices and advocacy have been suppressed, with the #MeToo movement going underground. The move is seen as regressive by some, with concerns over the intensification of traditional gender roles in service of national policy and demographic goals.

The entire article can be read at the link https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/02/world/asia/china-communist-party-xi-women.html