In China, unmarried women are prohibited from egg freezing despite high demand and declining fertility rates. Within such a context, this article aims to examine public attitudes toward reproduction and egg-freezing on social media, with particular attention paid to how these discussions reflect the multi-level determinants influencing decision-making regarding egg-freezing practices. Within the context of Chinese gender ideology, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of 1,437 Weibo posts discussing egg-freezing. Our analysis identified four significant themes: reconstructing romantic relationships and family structures, conspiracy theories and distrust surrounding assisted reproduction, exposing and challenging reproductive policies within a patriarchal framework, and interconnections and stratification among women. Accentuated by the egg-freezing discourse, we argue that current Chinese women's bodily autonomy is entangled with traditional norms and state control, underscoring the intricate interplay between individual choice and societal dynamics, as well as the ideological contradictions at the intersection of Western technological influence and Chinese societal structures. Furthermore, we illuminate the challenging landscape faced by online feminist movements within such a complex context. Our findings set the stage for shaping future initiatives focused on advancing reproductive justice and empowering fertility choices among Chinese women.

Purpose: The mounting health misinformation on social media triggers heated discussions about how to address it. Anchored by the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model, this study investigates the underlying process of intentions to combat health misinformation. Specifically, we analyzed how presumed exposure of others and presumed influence on others affect intentions to practice pre-emptive and reactive misinformation countering strategies.Design/methodology/approach: Covariance-based structural equation modeling based on survey data from 690 Chinese participants was performed using the “lavaan” package in R to examine the proposed mechanism.Findings: Personal attention to health information on social media is positively associated with presumed others’ attention to the same information, which, in turn, is related to an increased perception of health misinformation’s influence on others. The presumed influence is further positively tied to two pre-emptive countermeasures (i.e. support for media literacy interventions and institutional verification intention) and one reactive countermeasure (i.e. misinformation correction intention). However, the relationship between presumed influence and support for governmental restrictions, as another reactive countering method, is not significant.Originality/value: This study supplements the misinformation countering literature by examining IPI’s tenability in explaining why individuals engage in combating misinformation. Both pre-emptive and reactive strategies were considered, enabling a panoramic view of the motivators of misinformation countering compared to previous studies. Our findings also inform the necessity of adopting a context-specific perspective and crafting other-oriented messages to motivate users’ initiative in implementing corrective actions.

In the summer of 2023, the TV series “Fireworks of My Heart” sparked extensive online debates over its protagonists’ cross-class love story in China. This study aims to examine the distinctive gender ideology and views on romantic relationships expressed by young middle-class women on social media. By conducting a critical discourse analysis on 1079 Weibo posts under eight relevant hashtags, we identified three significant themes: the bold rejection of the love-addled mindset, privatized self and monetized love, and critiques of structural oppression against women. We argue that contemporary netizen's views on relationships bear a strong postfeminist influence, entwined with consumerism, neoliberalism, and romantic idealism. Despite the emerging trend of feminist awakening, the challenges faced by online discursive activism within China's unique internet environment led to a localized and somewhat extreme evolution that seems to detach from societal foundations.

In China, nearly half of women have experienced dysmenorrhea. However, the articulation and management of this female-specific pain remain constrained. By conducting a critical metaphor analysis of interviews with 33 young Chinese women experiencing dysmenorrhea, this study seeks to uncover the nuanced layers of meaning enmeshed within their discourse regarding dysmenorrhea and their bodies. Our examination unveils four metaphors entwined with dysmenorrhea: the curse upon women, the sentinel of the female body, the codewords of emotional bonding among women, and the exclusive dividend of womanhood. Simultaneously, four metaphorical representations of the female body enduring dysmenorrhea emerge: the machine experiencing component breakdowns, the hidden jail, the vessel of sexuality and reproduction, and the product under male gaze. Notably, despite advocating for gender equality, many women strategically appropriate stereotypical gender roles to secure short-term gains. The female body assumes a dual role as both a battleground for power struggles and a commodified entity, where health issues intertwine with gender hierarchies, parent-child relationships, and workplace dynamics, collectively shaping women's self-awareness and paradoxical responses to dysmenorrhea.

Background/Objectives: In China, discussing sexual and reproductive health remains taboo, often preventing patients from seeking care or advice on sensitive topics. Online medical consultations (OMCs) offer a unique platform for patients to discuss these concerns more openly. This study investigates how patient-centered communication (PCC) practices, including conversational themes and the use of politeness markers, influence patient satisfaction in Chinese OMCs, with a focus on sensitive gynecology and andrology topics. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods approach, including theme-oriented discourse analysis (TODA) and content analysis on 328 OMCs (179 in andrology, 149 in gynecology) collected from Dr. Chunyu, a popular Chinese online healthcare platform that provides medical consultations, from 19 to 22 March 2022. Logistic regressions were conducted to assess the influence of politeness markers on patient satisfaction, while TODA examined PCC practices in sensitive conversations. Results: TODA identified two key themes in PCC that enhanced patient satisfaction: normalizing sensitive health concerns and fostering collaborative decision-making. Politeness markers, specifically the use of polite words and expressions of best wishes, were positively associated with patient satisfaction. However, downtoners, emojis, and sentence-final particles showed no significant effect. There were no significant differences in the impact of politeness markers between gynecology and andrology consultations. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of PCC and politeness markers in improving patient satisfaction in OMCs, especially when addressing sensitive sexual health topics.

This study examines how Chinese women on Bilibili recall and reinterpret their sex education experiences, uncovering the intricate interplay between individual memories and socio-cultural dynamics. Drawing on memory theory, we conducted a critical discourse analysis of 1,722 comments, identifying four key themes: (1) sexual silence within the 'desexualised' domestic sphere; (2) women's encounters in a 'sexualised' society; (3) rationalising the absence of comprehensive sex education; and (4) activating memory activism through self-education and collective advocacy. The findings reveal that the family, often idealised as a 'desexualised' safe space, perpetuates patriarchal norms, while the public sphere commodifies sexuality and exacerbates gendered risks. These domains, rather than existing in isolation, are deeply interconnected, with porous boundaries between them that sustain structural inequalities. Women's narratives transform individual memories into collective memory acts, leveraging social media as a critical battlefield for advocacy and compensatory education. Yet, fragmented and emotionally charged digital dialogues often face structural barriers, limiting their capacity to drive systemic change. The study underscores the transformative potential of digital memory activism in challenging socio-cultural norms and emphasises the critical need for institutional efforts to establish inclusive and comprehensive sex education as a cornerstone of gender equity.