BY NUALA GATHERCOLE LAM
More than 25 China watchers, creators, academics and activists attended the first NüVoices London social gathering on November 23.
Following launches in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei and New York, NüVoices board members and London chapter coordinators Jessie Lau and Zhang Lijia welcomed a diverse group of individuals, all with a common interest in amplifying the voices of women working in China-related fields.
The aim of the social was to connect professionals in the area interested in China and women’s issues and establish a local network. Over drinks and snacks, attendees held conversations on topics ranging from the myth of a post-sexism society in Hong Kong to the new wave of Chinese-heritage female reporters putting an end to white male domination of foreign corresponding in China — think Yuan Yang at the Financial Times, Amy Qin at the New York Times and NüVoices board chair and editor Joanna Chiu as just a few examples. Wǒ Men Podcast co-host Zhang Jingjing questioned the breadth of #MeToo in China, flagging the trap of viewing urban women with international connections as representative of Chinese women in general. Corinne Estermann, a graduate student pursuing degrees in international affairs with a focus on China, also shared her views on gender inequality within the academic sphere in China. Others discussed the discouraging prospects for women hoping to work in the field of politics in China.
Mutual support and collaboration were the major themes of the evening as we planned for more NüVoices events in London. Watch this space for film screenings, networking events and the much anticipated NüVoices London wanel — that’s the opposite of an all-male panel, or manel.
About the author
Nuala Gathercole Lam is a freelance journalist with an interest in gender and civil society in China. She has worked for NGOs and news media in China, and is a board member at the quarterly labor and civil society journal Made in China. Nuala holds a BA in Chinese and History from SOAS and an MSc in Media, Communication and Development from the LSE. Her work has been published in WAGIC, Sixth Tone and China File.
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