In recent years, China’s cultural discourse has been shifting, albeit slowly and perceptibly, as more female voices have broken into the mainstream. From Her Story, a feminist comedy that won Best Narrative Film at the Golden Rooster Awards this year, to stand-up comedian Fang Shaoli’s breakout performance on King of Stand-up Comedy Show 2—where she recounted, with humor, leaving an abusive marriage and starting over in her 50s—women’s stories are reaching wider audiences. Yet these cultural breakthroughs do not erase the deeper structural barriers women face, as equal treatment at work and at home will require sustained change—both in law and in social attitudes.

At TWOC, we remain committed to presenting stories from female perspectives. Here are some of the top feminist stories this year:

At work

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark United Nations World Conference on Women held in Beijing, a pivotal event that produced the enduring Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action—a progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights. This year’s commemorative summits reaffirmed China’s commitment to these global principles of gender equality and women’s empowerment, emphasizing the country’s role in promoting women’s development as a key part of its broader modernization efforts.

However, the reality remains that women are still disproportionately affected by traditional gender roles in the workplace. A 2025 report found that 15 percent of women say their career advancement is hindered by marriage and childbirth, compared with just 3 percent of men. The proportion of female job seekers being asked about their marital status and family plans has risen from 49 percent in 2024 to 63 percent in the past year. While laws prohibit such questions and gender discrimination during recruitment, the report shows that a gap still exists between legislation and its implementation.

On campus

In a highly anticipated criminal verdict on December 15, Tang Yuwen, a former high school physics teacher from Baise, Guangxi, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the sexual assault and rape of his student. The victim, who took her own life in January, reportedly quoted extensively from Fang Si-Chi’s First Love Paradise in her suicide note. The novel, written by the late author Lin Yi-han, is drawn from her real-life trauma of being sexually abused by her Chinese tutor. The unsettling case of Tang highlighted the persistent abuse of the inherent power imbalances, with the abuser disguising exploitation as affection,  distorting the victim’s sense of reality. A lack of sexual education and social taboo against discussing sexual issues have also created pressure and shame for the victim, preventing them from seeking help. The verdict has renewed calls for sex education on campus and stronger safeguards to protect students from abuse and harassment.

While creating an environment in which women feel safe and supported in reporting harassment remains essential, the verdict in another sexual harassment case on campus has also drawn attention to the rights of the accused. In September, a court in Hubei ruled that the evidence did not support the claim made by a female student who had accused a male classmate of inappropriate behavior in Wuhan University’s campus library. The high-profile case quickly set off an online firestorm, where public opinion, often shaped by incomplete information, overran careful consideration of the evidence. Both the accused male student, who experienced serious mental health distress, and the female accuser became targets of intense cyberbullying and personal attacks, highlighting the need to move from emotionally driven online judgments to careful, evidence-based legal processes.

Marriage and family

Marking the 75th anniversary of China’s first Marriage Law, the country rolled out its most significant marriage registration reform in over two decades on May 10, 2025. The change allows couples to register their marriage anywhere in the country, regardless of their hukou (household registration), simplifying the process for millions who live and work away from their hometowns.

This overhaul comes amid a steadily declining marriage rate since 2013, prompting government efforts to lower bureaucratic barriers to marriage registration. The revision has reignited debates over gender equality, the fair division of assets in divorce, and the changing role of marriage in modern Chinese society—underscoring how the law continues to adapt to social and economic shifts.

To better support families and encourage childbirth, China launched a nationwide childcare subsidy scheme on January 1, 2025. Under the policy, families with children under three are eligible for an annual subsidy of 3,600 yuan per child, disbursed each year until the child turns three. The subsidy, which is exempt from personal income tax, is intended to ease the financial pressures of parenting. The amount has sparked online debate, with many arguing it is insufficient. The policy has also raised questions about whether the mother, who is currently making the claim, or the father should claim the subsidy, with disputes between spouses surfacing online.

But with more women choosing to stay single, regulations have also come out to secure their rights against societal prejudices. In Shanxi, a landmark revision to local regulations formally prohibited the slander and insult of unmarried women. This legislative move directly challenged the pervasive stigma of the “leftover woman” narrative. It marks a symbolic yet significant step in shifting cultural discourse.

Victory of the year

After a six-year court battle, Wang Nuannuan, the survivor of the high-profile “pregnant woman pushed off a cliff in Thailand” case in 2019, was finally granted a divorce from her attacker, along with an additional 500,000 yuan in compensation, a rare sum in divorce cases.

Her former husband, Yu Xiaodong, is now serving a three-decade prison sentence in Thailand. The criminal trial, which dragged on for four years through two appeals, took precedence over the divorce proceedings. When Wang filed for divorce in Nanjing, the process became especially challenging as Yu refused to cooperate. The high-profile case has become China’s first divorce trial with the defendant incarcerated overseas.

Wang’s prolonged struggle to secure a legal separation, even after a criminal conviction of the other party, highlighted the complication of divorce proceedings and sparked wider discussion over the protection of domestic violence victims. Read our detailed report of Wang Nuannuan’s story of unimaginable trauma and extraordinary resilience here.

Shifts in lifestyle

A defining trend this year has been the turn among young Chinese women toward wellness and mindful leisure. This movement goes beyond consumption—it represents a conscious reclaiming of time, space, and bodily autonomy in response to the pressures of modern urban life. The rise of outdoor activities like cycling, hiking, and, most notably, the Gen Z fishing craze exemplifies this shift. For young urban women, fishing has been reimagined from a traditionally male-dominated hobby into an active form of meditation. “Micro-fishing”—short sessions requiring minimal gear—has gained popularity as a way to escape the constant demands of work and urban life. This pursuit of solitude is framed not as an escape, but as a necessary recalibration, echoing ancient Chinese philosophical ideals of living in harmony with the natural world.

Running parallel to this experiential trend is a sophisticated, data-driven approach to health. Market analyses show that women are the primary drivers of China’s booming wellness economy. Spending has surged on products such as probiotics, weight-management products, and home fitness equipment like kettlebells and yoga mats, which support personalized workout routines. There is also a marked shift toward clean consumption, with a strong preference for low-sugar, nutrient-dense foods and beverages. Beyond products, self-care now also includes things like spa treatments, mental wellness apps, and regular health checkups. Altogether, these habits show a shift from simply reacting to health issues to actively taking charge of well-being.