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Narratives of Women and Gender Relations in Chinese COVID-19 Frontline Reports in 2020

Author

Listed:
  • Shuoyu Fang

    (School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

  • Li Zou

    (School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China)

Abstract

This article analyzes the representation of women in Chinese news reports about COVID-19 in order to examine the consequences of the pandemic on gender relations in China. It draws on the linguistic framework of appraisal theory for identifying evaluative language and takes Chinese news reports on the COVID-19 frontline in 2020 as the major data sources. The study finds that while the narrative about women’s capacity in combating the virus, resolution in the face of adversity, and sense of responsibility help build a shared feeling of community to reconstruct the disturbed social order, the descriptions about the evaluation and feelings of female characters lead to undesirable outcomes in gender relations in China. Specifically, the newspapers’ reports on COVID-19 mainly focus on group interests and accomplishments and overlook women’s contributions in containing the pandemic. Meanwhile, the news reports devoted to constructing model female characters that highlight transcendent qualities place considerable pressure on everyday women. Furthermore, journalists tend to infuse their reports with gender bias when depicting women, including aesthetic appreciation of appearance and a focus on emotional reactions and domestic roles, which hinders the professional identity of women. This article sheds light on gender relations in China amid the pandemic, as well as the study of gender equality in media discourse.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuoyu Fang & Li Zou, 2023. "Narratives of Women and Gender Relations in Chinese COVID-19 Frontline Reports in 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4359-:d:1083866
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sen Jia & Thomas Lansdall-Welfare & Saatviga Sudhahar & Cynthia Carter & Nello Cristianini, 2016. "Women Are Seen More than Heard in Online Newspapers," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Victoria Costoya & Lucía Echeverría & María Edo & Ana Rocha & Agustina Thailinger, 2022. "Gender Gaps within Couples: Evidence of Time Re-allocations during COVID-19 in Argentina," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 213-226, June.
    3. Ana Lariau & Lucy Qian Liu, 2022. "Inequality in the Spanish Labor Market During the COVID-19 Crisis," IMF Working Papers 2022/018, International Monetary Fund.
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