Five Chinese activists were put in jail for over a month for doing something that women's groups in the U.S. do every day. The women, dubbed the "Feminist Five," were simply going to protest how women are treated on the subway.
Li Tingting, Wu Rongrong, Zheng Churan, Wei Tingting, and Wang Man are all in their 20s and 30s, and have used eye-catching stunts to make a point about women's rights in China. According to the New York Times, they've shaved their heads, barged into men's restrooms, and splashed wedding gowns with red paint, just to name a few tactics.
They were arrested on March 6, two days before International Women's Day, NBC News reports. They were accused of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" after planning to protest sexual harassment on public transportation using leaflets. They were held in a Beijing detention center, without any charges, for over a month.
The backlash was swift. More than 1,000 people in China signed a petition calling for the women to be released. In the States, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and UN Ambassador Samantha Power made public statements condemning their arrest. And activists online have rallied around the hashtag #freethefive, posting pictures of themselves wearing masks of the protesters' faces.
They were released on bail Monday, according to the Guardian, but they could still face charges at a later time. The Chinese government does not allow organized protest, and cracks down on small demonstrations.
Chinese officials didn't comment on their release, but the Christian Science Monitor notes that they're about to host a meeting on women's rights, on the anniversary of the famous Beijing summit on gender equality. So, you know, the optics might not have been the best.
You should also check out:
Chanel Stages Feminist Protest at Paris Fashion Week
These Will Be the Biggest Feminist Issues of 2015
Here's Exactly How Much Less Money Women Make Than Men in 2015
-
Prince William Attends Earthshot Prize Ceremony in a Thrifted Blazer He Found at a Vintage Store"You just try to do what you can."
-
Vice President Harris's Final Suit of the 2024 ElectionShe conceded the presidential race in a look encapsulating her approach to the race.
-
Recreate These Effortless Thanksgiving Outfit FormulasFrom deep burgundy to animal prints and Fair Isle knits, kick off the holiday season with pieces that look polished but aren't at all stuffy.
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to MenIt's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
Her Love of Basketball Left Her StatelessOne athlete’s quest for freedom from Afghanistan, where the Taliban's restrictive and regressive policies on women's sports put her life in danger.
-
Education for Women and Girls Is Crucial for Climate JusticeIn an excerpt from her new book, 'A Bigger Picture,' Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate discusses the impact educated African women and girls can have on solving the climate crisis.
-
It’s Time to End Equal Pay Days and Pass the Equal Rights AmendmentThe passage of the ERA is a chance for our country to prove it truly values women.
-
Anita Hill Believes We Can End Gender ViolenceThree decades after her landmark testimony in the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, the esteemed professor and lawyer has a message for leaders: The time is now to prioritize anti-gender violence policies.
-
The Anti-Choice Movement’s Aims Are Out in the Open: End Roe, Rip Away Reproductive FreedomToday, 228 U.S. senators and representatives explicitly asked the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
-
Kathryn Garcia Has Spent Her Career Cleaning Up Powerful Men's MessesThe former department of sanitation commissioner has jockeyed her way to the front of a very crowded, very loud, very sexist NYC mayoral field. Will she make history?
-
'Period. End of Sentence.' Invites Us to Reimagine the Menstrual Equity MovementFellow menstrual equity author Jennifer Weiss-Wolf dissects Anita Diamant’s new book, offering key takeaways in the fight for period justice.
