Urbanization, Women’s Body Image, and Women’s Sport under Chinese Socialism 1949–1979: A Historical Review

Xiong, Huan

doi:10.1123/shr.39.2.127

Cited by 5 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Second, since the PRC was established in 1949, sport has been employed as an important tool to win national glory during the international sporting events (Xiong, 2015). When considering that women’s sports were not as established as men’s sports worldwide, the PRC—for decades—had prioritized women’s sports because Chinese female athletes were more likely to win medals compared to their male counterparts on the global stage (Dong, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this sense, few people would doubt that Chinese female athletes-"holding up more than half of the sky"-have played a major role in fulfilling the nation's ambition to become a global sports superpower (Dong, 2011: 161). Chinese sports media-especially during the socialist period-tended to desexualize female athletes and to portray them as "iron women" with their physical capability particularly highlighted (Xiong, 2015). Although researchers contend that defeminization and desexualization of female athletes are embedded in male hegemony rather than genuine gender-equality pursuit (Xiong, 2008(Xiong, , 2015, the minimal sex differences applied in depicting male and female athletes uncovered in the current study might reflect the historical legacy of erasing female athletes' sexuality and feminine stereotypes in media representation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chinese women were encouraged to step out of the domestic sphere and actively participate in a variety of social activities, including sports (Dong, 2003). Utilizing sport to advance national interests, the Chinese government prioritized women's sports because the less established women's sports worldwide offered Chinese women more chances to succeed in international sporting events compared to Chinese male athletes (Dong, 2011;Xiong, 2015). Since 1952, Chinese women have won more gold medals than their male Olympic counterparts in every Summer Olympic Games, playing a major role in fulfilling the PRC's ambition of becoming a sports superpower on the global stage (Dong, 2003(Dong, , 2011.…”

Section: Metric Number 3: Gendered Descriptions In Meditated Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gendered representations in Chinese sports media deviate from prevalent gender frames uncovered in many Western countries (Dong, 2005). Instead of marginalizing, infantilizing, or trivializing female athletes, Chinese sports media—over time—tend to applaud sportswomen’s physicality and athleticism to depict them as “heroines” and “warriors” with an “iron body” (Brownell, 2005; Xiong, 2015). Advancing Chinese narratives as sportswomen could largely be attributed to the Communist belief of gender sameness under Chinese Socialism between 1949 and 1979 (Dong, 2005; Xiong, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead of marginalizing, infantilizing, or trivializing female athletes, Chinese sports media—over time—tend to applaud sportswomen’s physicality and athleticism to depict them as “heroines” and “warriors” with an “iron body” (Brownell, 2005; Xiong, 2015). Advancing Chinese narratives as sportswomen could largely be attributed to the Communist belief of gender sameness under Chinese Socialism between 1949 and 1979 (Dong, 2005; Xiong, 2015). After embracing this economic reform, however, the PRC has gone through dramatic social changes since the 1980s, affecting both its sports system and gender norms (Xu, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Women, men, and five Olympic rings: An examination of Chinese Central Television’s broadcast of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Billings

et al. 2019

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

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This study conducts a content analysis on Chinese Central Television’s broadcasting of figure skating, short track speed skating, and freestyle skiing—the three most popular winter sports in the People’s Republic of China—at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics from the perspective of biological sex. A full examination of 100% (over 37 h) of Chinese Central Television’s broadcast coverage was analyzed in terms of clock-time, name-mentions, and descriptors. In each sport examined, female athletes received less clock-time and fewer name-mentions compared to their male counterparts. However, in the analysis of 7765 descriptors, relatively few significant differences between depictions of male and female athletes were uncovered, potentially explained by the Communist legacy of erasing women’s feminine characteristics and the relatively equal number of male and female commentators in Chinese Central Television’s sports newsrooms. Also, compared to many Western countries, male figure skaters in the People’s Republic of China received more clock-time and name-mentions, possibly attributed to cultural differences in defining ideal masculinity across East Asia and the West.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Metric Number 3: Gendered Descriptions In Meditated Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Women, men, and five Olympic rings: An examination of Chinese Central Television’s broadcast of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Billings

et al. 2019

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

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Identity negotiation and subculture recognition: Exploration of a sexual minority group in a Chinese grassroots sport

Xiong

Guo

2023

International Review for the Sociology of Sport

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This case study delves into the experiences of a women's basketball team situated in Shenzhen, South China, comprised primarily of members of sexual minority groups. Utilizing qualitative research methods, including interviews and observation of team dynamics, this research examines how lesbian and bisexual female basketball players navigate societal norms and negotiate their sexual identities. It also highlights the team's unique strategies for dealing with social interactions, group membership, and power dynamics in resisting heteronormative norms. Team B exemplifies a form of queer resistance in Chinese society and sports that is distinct from the Western pride movements and political advocacy. This strategy involves avoiding confrontation and integrating the nonheteronormative subculture into mainstream sports and society to gain support from families, the general public, and local communities, thereby promoting sports inclusivity and gaining social recognition. This study argues, from a post-structural feminist perspective, that participation in a gender-inclusive sports group provides sexual minority individuals with a unique social position and an empowering means of destabilizing power relations and reducing sexual identity tensions. In addition, it demonstrates the capacity of sports subcultures to foster collective agency and resilience in the face of dominant cultural norms, despite the constraints posed by the unaltered macro-level structure of gender. This case study provides valuable insights into how gender-inclusive sports groups can challenge and reshape preconceived notions of gender and sexuality in Chinese society while serving as a platform for queer resistance.

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When Women Fail to “Hold Up More Than Half the Sky”

Billings

Fan

2017

Communication & Sport

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Communist beliefs on gender equality and Chinese female athletes’ consistent ability to win national glory have lead to female athletes in Chinese sports media being primarily portrayed as legitimate athletes akin to levels of male athletes. This study examines such assumptions within Chinese Central Television’s (CCTV) 2016 Olympic telecast of gymnastics, a sport in which Chinese female athletes failed to attain national expectations, exploring potential variations of gendered frames in Chinese sports culture. A full examination of 100% (over 14 hr) of CCTV’s broadcast coverage revealed that female athletes received less media attention in terms of clock time and name mentions. Regarding word-by-word commentary ascribed to the gymnasts, CCTV employees significantly devoted more descriptors related to personality and physicality to female athletes, indicating a noticeable deviation from the Chinese traditional gendered frame of depicting female athletes as tenacious fighters with their nonsport-related aspects rarely covered. Implications for the findings are offered.

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Urbanization, Women’s Body Image, and Women’s Sport under Chinese Socialism 1949–1979: A Historical Review

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Women, men, and five Olympic rings: An examination of Chinese Central Television’s broadcast of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Women, men, and five Olympic rings: An examination of Chinese Central Television’s broadcast of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Identity negotiation and subculture recognition: Exploration of a sexual minority group in a Chinese grassroots sport

When Women Fail to “Hold Up More Than Half the Sky”

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