Gender antagonism? Chinese comedian ignites major feminism controversy
JD.com's epic marketing fallout
Recently, JD.com found itself in hot water after signing Chinese stand-up comedian Yang Li as their ambassador for this year's 11.11 shopping festival, China’s largest annual e-commerce event. This announcement was supposed to drum up excitement, but instead, it sparked widespread outrage among consumers, especially male consumers.
On October 15, JD.com announced Yang Li as the ambassador for this year's 11.11 event, which led to a significant boycott and collective cancellations of JD memberships by male users. By October 18, JD.com had canceled the collaboration and issued an apology statement.
Who is Yang Li and why was she so hated?
Yang Li is a prominent Chinese talk-show comedian and scriptwriter known for her sassy and fearless humor in tackling social issues related to men and her comments on gender dynamics in China.
However, her bold style has also stirred controversy, particularly among male audiences. For instance, she’s made headlines with her iconic punchline directed at men: "Men are so ordinary, yet so confident?" with which she intended to highlight the perceived arrogance of certain men.
On the Chinese internet, the term "普信男," which translates to "ordinary yet confident man," describes individuals who display an overabundance of self-confidence despite lacking exceptional qualities. This term went viral, and many of Yang Li's jokes center around this group of men.
However, this specific punchline and many of her jokes directed at men have sparked a wave of backlash, as many criticize her for "man-hating" and provoking "antagonism between men and women."
Many male talk-show audience members felt insulted by her commentary, interpreting her jokes as a direct attack on them. Some have expressed frustration, asking, "Why can’t we be common but confident?" Additionally, many say they would refuse to shop at JD because the company signed her as their ambassador.
The 11.11 festival is more than just a shopping day; it's a monumental event that sets the tone for the entire year in the e-commerce sector. During this time, platforms like JD, Alibaba, and others compete fiercely to attract consumers with deals and promotions. With billions of dollars at stake, the backlash against Yang Li’s appointment couldn't have come at a worse time for JD, which has a predominantly male customer base. This incident not only jeopardizes JD’s marketing strategy during this critical sales period but also threatens to undermine the trust and loyalty of its customers when JD needs them most.
Does Yang Li really hate men?
In my opinion, no. She did not intend to insult all men. In her talk-show context, “ordinary yet confident man” refers to men who exhibit an inflated sense of confidence. This is not a made-up scenario; it exists in reality in China.
Many Chinese girls are often socialized from a young age to be “乖” (obedient) or “文静” (quiet and demure), as schools and parents deem these qualities to be good models for girls. This culture makes it difficult for many females to confidently express themselves, assert their opinions, and advocate for their points of view in the professional world. When they do assert themselves in the workplace, they are frequently labeled as “aggressive,” a stigma rarely applied to men. When I returned to China in 2021 after living abroad for a decade, I could still see job postings that explicitly stated "male preferred," despite the roles being equally suitable for women. This is not common in today's China, but unfortunately, it does still exist.
Meanwhile, societal expectations sometimes place the burden of household responsibilities on women, leading to a situation where many women from older generations—like those born in the 1960s (the generation of Yang Li's parents)—worked full-time jobs while managing the majority of domestic tasks. If a woman prioritizes her career and postpones marriage or children, she may face derogatory labels like “leftover woman” (剩女).
In less economically advanced areas, gender biases still persist, with male children receiving preferential treatment. On the Chinese internet, there's even slang for this phenomenon called "扶弟魔," which refers to the expectation that sisters support their brothers regardless of the cost. These sisters are usually equally competent and work even harder, yet their brothers often carry an inflated sense of confidence while enjoying support from their sisters.
But a punchline cannot be interpreted outside its context. A comedy is a comedy; comedy is supposed to exaggerate a social issue. Yang Li's comments likely point to men who, while no more capable than their female peers, exhibit an arrogant confidence rooted in societal privilege. These “ordinary yet confident men” exist in a culture that encouraged them to be vocal and assertive, often without recognizing the inequalities that underpin their confidence.
In reality, if struggles did not exist for females, her jokes wouldn't have created such a wave of resonance in the first place.
The feminism controversy in China
But this outcry from JD consumers shows that her humor definitely touches a nerve. (Why JD's department picked such a polarizing figure as their ambassador—given that over 58% of their users are male—is uncanny to me. It could be a PR disaster, or possibly JD's marketing department aims to intentionally win over female consumers. I don't know.)
In fact, I don't believe Yang Li represents an advocate of the feminism movement in China at all. Yang Li embodies more of a commercial phenomenon rather than a social movement aimed at truly empowering women. Because the inequality and repressed complaints towards the "ordinary yet confident" man do exist, jokes like these resonate instantly and generate enormous traffic. She brought the social issue to attention in a very exaggerated and dramatized way. However, concluding that men are "ordinary yet confident" is not a rational or effective solution for fostering a truly empowered social movement. Without addressing women's social and economic rights through law enforcement, simply making eloquent and striking statements in the media amounts to empty rhetoric. However, I don’t believe Yang Li ever claimed to be part of the feminist movement; she is, after all, in the show business.
In recent years, some have even weaponized feminism to ask for privilege—what Chinese netizens call "田园女权," which refers to a group that demands gender equality while expecting men to bear the main responsibilities, using feminism as an excuse to maximize benefits for women.
Instead of advocating for equal rights and empowering women, some females argue that because they are women, men should work hard, afford housing, and cater to all their emotional needs after a long day. This entitlement is sometimes justified as a feminist stance by some. Many people are complaining about how some Chinese women demand exorbitant bride prices just to get married. This is not true feminism, as it does not empower women but rather commodifies them. Just as "ordinary yet confident men" exist, so do "ordinary yet confident women."
Moreover, the core issue is that tolerance for teasing men seems less forgiving than for teasing women on the Chinese internet. Some netizens claim, "If similar jokes from Yang Li were directed towards women instead of men, things would be very different." This is also why many accuse her of creating “antagonism between genders.”
However, I don't believe teasing women in talk shows or comedies is prohibited in any way in China. More importantly, I personally believe that long-standing inequalities may require over-correction or radical changes to achieve equality.
Further, to put this incident in a contextualized way: The "sassy" style of stand-up comedy has not been a mainstream form of humor in traditional Chinese comedy, where the principle of 中庸之道 (the Doctrine of the Mean, which advocates for moderation, balance, and avoiding extremes) has historically served as an aesthetic standard.
The talk-show style performances, characterized by exaggeration of issues and often deliberately offending others for comedic effect, have only been introduced to China in the past decade.
The ability of Chinese women to boldly address gender issues through stand-up comedy marks significant progress, serving as a powerful example for young Chinese girls. It shows that they can be vocal, sassy, and assertive in public settings, rather than conforming to traditional expectations of being quiet and demure. This shift broadens the definition of "acceptable" values and role models, adding another possibility that helps diversify societal values.
After all, Yang Li did not advocate for female privilege, but unfortunately, she has been backfired upon in a war she didn't start. She has nevertheless become a symbol of the stigmatized concept of feminism and the target of anger from those who believe that some are abusing feminism to claim privilege for themselves.
The difference lies in economic gaps, not genders
The notion of gender equality is changing rapidly, especially in the more economically advanced areas of China. For instance, last year, the term "江浙沪独女" (daughter of the one-child families in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai) went viral on the Chinese internet, referring to daughters from families in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai—China's most prosperous regions. Many netizens expressed envy towards these women, who are well-supported financially and treated with respect. In these areas, as well as in major metropolitan cities, it’s increasingly common to see newlyweds from the '80s and '90s where husbands take on the majority of household chores, and both men and women compete equally in the professional environment. Companies are also beginning to offer paid leave for pregnancy, not just for women but for men as well.
However, in less developed areas, outdated mindsets still persist. Many parents continue to believe that getting married and having children early is the best path to happiness. While some of these parents may have good intentions, genuinely believing that starting a family with a good man is the ultimate happiness for a girl, this perspective often leads to misunderstandings and unsupportive attitudes toward women who wish to prioritize their careers.
The evolution of social values takes time, largely influenced by economic development and exposure to the broader world's diversity of values. The fact that the term "江浙沪独女" (daughter of the one-child family in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai) created such a sensation online signifies that disparities still exist in China.
In my opinion, the issue is not solely about gender; it's also about fostering greater acceptance of diverse values and enforcing equal rights, which often comes with economic development.
What's the influence on JD? Will it persist？
So, how does the Yang Li incident influence public opinion toward JD.com?
How might this affect JD's sales during the 11.11 event this year? Below is our analysis from BigOne Lab, the parent company of Baiguan.news. We sourced social media discussions from major Chinese platforms to analyze public sentiment over the past week since the incident escalated. We will also release a review of JD.com's sales performance during the 11.11 event period soon, so stay tuned to assess how this public sentiment could impact JD's sales!
This post is sponsored by BigOne Lab, our parent company. BigOne Lab proudly announces the introduction of China Mobile Payment dataset, covering high-frequency offline sale performance of brands such as LULU, Hermes, LV, Starbucks, POP MART, Miniso sportswear, luxury, coffee and tea chains and speciality retail sectors that were previously undercovered by data. If you are interested in subscribing, please contact more@bigonelab.com