|
'Is the star on TV a male or female?'
That question has been frequently asked as one male star after another appears on TV looking like a woman. And it has provoked some reactions as shown by the popularity of a WeChat article titled: Let's get rid of the male stars with female appearances. The article blames feminine males for 'weakening the spirit of the society' and 'swallowing the courage of the nation'.
'Where is our future if too many of our youngsters try to look like women?', it asked. The exact reading records of the article is unknown because the WeChat reading count only shows 'Above 100,000'. However, judging from the more than 2,500 'like's it has won, it must have been read at least a million times, with more reading records of reposted versions on other platforms. However, Sun Jiashan, a researcher at Chinese National Academy of Arts, does not think the feminine male stars have a negative effect on society. 'They are still far from becoming the mainstream cultural trend in society. Just have a look at how much criticism they receive online', he wrote, 'Besides, we should not set male and female aesthetic standards against each other.'
Yang Yi, a popular commentator, also expressed his objection to the 'Get rid of' article: 'I dislike males in female appearances. For that reason, I have even given up the habit of watching TV because there are so many such figures on the screen. Yet I think that is their choice and their right.' In a comment posted on its opinion public WeChat account, China Daily also said it is a personal choice how one dresses, and there might be capital trying to hype the whole thing up. 'By doing so they are exploiting the phenomenon, while what we should do is to show courtesy to it,' it said.
Thepaper.cn also cautions that: 'Certain entertainment companies under the control of capital hype up the phenomenon so as to make it look like more popular than it actually is. That might mislead children.' On its new media platform, People's Daily also published a comment saying appearance was a personal choice and people should not use bad words against men with feminine appearances.
'It is natural to feel disgusted at capital-controlled speculation that intentionally mixes males with females. But please, do not insult the males with feminine appearances, because they have the right to choose.'
'We hope every child, male or female, will grow up healthily, be brave, and have a sense of responsibility.' Click here for audio and translation of the story |
|
|
