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Chinese male blogger banned from Douyin after netizens complain of 'feminine' behavior
Chinese male blogger banned from Douyin after netizens complain of ‘feminine’ behavior
Published: Aug 25, 2021 07:26 PM
Chinese male blogger Feng Xiaoyi Photo: Snapshot of Sina Weibo

Chinese male blogger Feng Xiaoyi Photo: Snapshot of Sina Weibo

The account of Chinese male blogger Feng Xiaoyi was removed from Douyin, the Chinese version TikTok, Tuesday after numerous netizens commented that his videos were too "feminine" and lacked of "masculinity."

According to Chinese media reports, one of the blogger's Douyin videos titled "Eating a peach" had previously gone viral on Chinese social media.

In the video, the blogger, dressed in cute pajamas, uses a beauty filter to make himself look like a young woman. He then holds a canned yellow peach and shares his feeling about the canned food with a feminine and coquettish tone.

Many Chinese netizens commented that they felt "uncomfortable" after watching the video, and some mocked that the blogger for not being masculine and called for the platform to ban his account to correct what they called the "unhealthy feminine male culture."

The account were removed from the platform on Tuesday night.

"Douyin took action to suspend the account after receiving multiple reports made against the creator. The most common reports Douyin received from Net users related to encouraging Net users or teens to send virtual gifts during livestreams. Douyin remains committed to providing an open and safe online community for all of our users," a Douyin spokesperson told the Global Times on Thursday.

The call for an end to stars who are seen as too "feminine" has been on the rise in China recently. 

Also on Tuesday, the China Federation of Literary and Art Workers Professional Ethics Committee held a forum in Beijing that also criticized what it called "unhealthy fan culture" including stars that it deems have a more "feminine" image.

At the symposium, the representatives of celebrities argued that some distorted values and behavior have appeared in the Chinese entertainment industry and that the stars responsible for this behavior have violated the law, the public order and professional ethics. Among these, it was said, a tumultuous fandom culture and a "feminine male image" have made a bad aesthetic influence on society. 

The representatives at the forum signed a proposal advocating that national literary and art workers adhere to strict self-discipline and have a sense of awe, CCTV reported on Wednesday.

However, some Chinese netizens commented that feminine male culture should be allowed to exist as it represents "tolerance and multiformity" and should not be totally removed. 

"China's feminine male culture is somewhat influenced by Japan's Otokonoko [male daughter] culture and South Korea's 'pretty' boy bands. If public opinion praises the masculinization of women and the feminization of men, this represents a decline in male authority," Shi Wenxue, a culture critic based in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

"But according to the current public opinion, which is dominated by a call for masculine men, it is understandable that the industry would be heading in this direction," he added.