Shifting the struggle inward: Mainstream debate on digital grassroots feminism in China

ABSTRACT This research suggests that the legitimacy of Chinese feminist public opinion is reflected in mainstream digital grassroots feminism. The authors investigate the use of feminist discourse in the Chinese Internet with the aim of highlighting and focusing current discussions among grassroots feminists in China. This research reveals that mainstream debates revolve around radical and conservative feminism. We propose that there is an emerging radical force in the mainstream debate, which is conceptualized as “new feminist activism.” It tries to separate itself from national and sexual politics, and has evolved from western radical feminism, separatist feminism, and socialist feminism in China. In addition, new feminist activism is labeled as extreme feminism and pseudo-feminism and is not only criticized by conservatives such as liberal feminists and socialist feminists but is also ruled by the state for ideological control. Appropriation of feminist discourses by grassroots feminists have led to positions of different groups splitting, and there is an intense internal fight for power over discourse. In general, digital feminism in China is characterized by a focus on the private sphere, de-political, and indirect confrontation.