A substantial fraction, around 20%, of Hill students are international. On campus, there is always intercultural interaction between local students and peers from all corners of the globe. However, the international perspective is one that might be difficult for domestic students to understand; there is always a certain level of discomfort that comes with living in a different cultural environment.

The United States and China are two countries with prominently different cultures, one aspect of which is gender roles. There are still societal boundaries and expectations with the way Chinese men and women should act. Raising awareness of issues related to gender equality and open protests in support of women’s rights are far less common in China than in the United States or other Western developed countries.Recently, Chinese comedian Yang Li decided to joke about the overconfidence in men on an episode of “Rock and Roast,” a comedy competition show. She spoke of male students’ negligent and uncaring attitude to poor academic performances. “You feel he owns the whole world,” Li said, “he can prance around the room with his exam papers held high. ‘Look at me, I got a 40. I’m a fool.’” In response, an uproar of internet opinions surfaced, both criticizing Li’s comment on men, which was perceived as insulting and offensive, and supporting her joking intentions.  

It is without a doubt that, in these two countries, there are differences in cultural standards. Fifth former Portia Sockel was asked about her opinion on the differing gender roles among those in China and in the United States. “I think, in the United States, believers in equality and the removal of gender roles have been extremely vocal and created activist communities that may not exist in China,” Sockel said. “Although there may be great opposition within Chinese culture, leading voices of disapproval have not been able to unite their cause. In this case, it may take many small efforts led by Chinese citizens rather than a widely known comedian to instill change.” It is evident the justice movements in China are heavily underdeveloped in comparison to the United States due to the laws around free speech. However, Sockel also sees the global similarities of gender roles. “I think there’s a lot in common about U.S. gender roles and those in China. Although we may have made a lot of great progress towards equal pay, consideration, and treatment in the last 10 years, the type of backlash Yang Li received is very much alive in American culture.”

Chinese student Harry Zhu ’22 also voiced his opinion regarding the differing gender roles in his home country. “Inequality exists, but it is certain that things are getting better. For example, the recent MeToo movement in China made everyone hear the voice of women bothered by sexual assaults.” Under the aid of globalization and exposure to other cultures, both Chinese men and women have begun to discover the importance of gender equality, and many different stereotypes and roles slowly but surely change. 

Despite the large improvements in gender discrimination, there is still a significant gap between the United States and China by Western standards. The backlash towards Li’s comedic act resulted in the censoring of her aired episode. This particular action was a reminder of the still unresolved gender roles in China, but also a reminder that, although improving, differing perspectives on gender remains a global debate.