Showing posts with label Chinese women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese women. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Amid Covid-19 shutdowns, Chinese women flock to skateboarding

Source Website: https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/amid-covid-19-shutdowns-chinese-women-flock-skateboarding
By Reuters, Asiaone, 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am


Mina Zhao, 40, a member of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community, and other fellow members ride skateboards through a slalom cone line during a practise session, at an industrial park in Beijing, China on June 30, 2022.
PHOTO: Mina Zhao, 40, a member of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community, and other fellow members ride skateboards through a slalom cone line during a practise session, at an industrial park in Beijing, China on June 30, 2022.
Picture posted by Reuters, Asiaone on 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXdU5I8sBi3EEQQhvPDAFB6tv-Daa9jJiCuzaKHloYpjGiuAliuGlAuoaH4LF19A_ek9KiBzevgpiMC7k8_fTymQTwE52_hqmu7hOZQzcdFKlAHJV_j3hVzqF65-a_lUS9MsRHYgUWmjCgdACYcXdEwWOp2m25lTVCThuR__NcGBwo-iyIGodqEKy/s800/skating_1.jpg
https://www.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_main_image/public/original_images/Jul2022/skating.jpg?itok=ZZD_hrnU
https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/amid-covid-19-shutdowns-chinese-women-flock-skateboarding


BEIJING - Feeling cooped up by the Chinese capital's partial Covid-19 lockdown earlier this year, which shut gyms, parks and other venues, Beijing resident Mina Zhao came across surfskating on social media and decided to give it a try.

Zhao, 40, who loves to ski, was an instant devotee, getting her husband and son involved in surfskating and even introducing it to dozens of fellow mothers who have gone on to buy their own boards.

"I think for my work, even for my life, skateboarding is having a positive effect," Zhao said, adding that it has helped her lose weight and reduce anxiety over her child's education.

Surfskating, a novice-friendly version of skateboarding that uses a more flexible front-end wheel assembly, known as a truck, to enable deeply carved turns akin to surfing, has taken off in Chinese cities since the spring, especially among women.


Members of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community stand on skateboards as they attend a training session for beginners, outside the National Sports Stadium in Beijing, China on June 19, 2022.
PHOTO: Members of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community stand on skateboards as they attend a training session for beginners, outside the National Sports Stadium in Beijing, China on June 19, 2022.
Picture posted by Reuters, Asiaone on 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1pHU6PJUngOwej4kttszFtD-OenJFgoj-IN9Vd3AD8evSqQxdB65mKD2JxLfglwc1dyAB3G5Fllj2-ozH73VXHUxrebkaTzabtj9mE0hR3O5a0YQNwGJq8i4SC99jFC0P-i3KHgVAj2F7eJPFtMdgCPB_eM-7PIXS2j5GMfGKptfO23NIg258cL-/s960/3F5YJKWQFJP6TEJSYP7WPKU5UI_1.jpeg
https://www.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3F5YJKWQFJP6TEJSYP7WPKU5UI.jpeg
https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/amid-covid-19-shutdowns-chinese-women-flock-skateboarding


Zhao said surfskating gives her a sense of accomplishment, and the positive energy she gets from it emboldened her to spend time away from home, wear more colourful clothing and even dye her hair to a lighter shade for the first time.

"Through this sport, what we want to explore more is ourselves. Being ourselves is more important than the world's stereotypical view of us," she said.

She said it also has a calming effect. "The more anxious you are, the worse it is for your child. Sometimes I just skate around the basement, I feel like a man who has a couple of cigarettes outside when something happens," Zhao said.

Considered easier to learn and less prone to wipeouts than other forms of skateboarding, surfskating also got a boost from the buzz over snow sports in China this year as Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics.


Members of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community stand on skateboards as they attend a training session for beginners, outside the National Sports Stadium in Beijing, China on June 19, 2022.
PHOTO: Members of Beijing Girls Surfskating Community stand on skateboards as they attend a training session for beginners, outside the National Sports Stadium in Beijing, China on June 19, 2022.
Picture posted by Reuters, Asiaone on 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0Yu0ZbXcnXOZdbqPXwbZezWe1IyzY1nJ3uJoVqRe27NknRVcmysoKUZOKgrGmJcFTBhuSHKhCTWbzDDAKPh15yc94OAQpik2RH8vl8tP1dyIyFahWlVDDYSPO_lCUyiuvRSwnNrPMSIG0XU_eca2OWEAdj-EVR-Le1EJCLuD6Ki3x91df3eCDM5X/s960/YIMSWULYYZIWHGBUGIX3C5SCEU_1.jpeg
https://www.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/YIMSWULYYZIWHGBUGIX3C5SCEU.jpeg
https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/amid-covid-19-shutdowns-chinese-women-flock-skateboarding


A surfskater can carve snowboard-style turns without the need for snow or even a slope.

Clubs, networks and group classes have proliferated.

One free weekly session for women near Beijing's landmark National Aquatics Centre, or Water Cube, has grown from around a dozen regulars in late April to nearly a hundred, according to its organiser, a professional dancer named Duo Lan.

Zhao, who organises children's activities and first tried surfskating in May, when she was unable to host events due to the lockdown, is one of her older students.


One free weekly session for women near Beijing's landmark National Aquatics Centre, or Water Cube, has grown from around a dozen regulars in late April to nearly a hundred, according to its organiser, a professional dancer named Duo Lan.
PHOTO: One free weekly session for women near Beijing's landmark National Aquatics Centre, or Water Cube, has grown from around a dozen regulars in late April to nearly a hundred, according to its organiser, a professional dancer named Duo Lan.
Picture posted by Adobe Stock - Woman at ski resort enjoying the spring sun
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Beach feeling
Chen Yanni, 29, also tried surfskating to escape lockdown after seeing the sport on her social media feeds.

She was quickly hooked.

"You feel so free," said Chen, who works in IT.

"And then there's this sense that I am approaching 30 but I feel very young all of a sudden. I love this feeling. It's like being a teenager again," she said.


Beach feeling
PHOTO: Beach feeling
Chen Yanni, 29, also tried surfskating to escape lockdown after seeing the sport on her social media feeds.
She was quickly hooked. "You feel so free," said Chen, who works in IT. "And then there's this sense that I am approaching 30 but I feel very young all of a sudden. I love this feeling. It's like being a teenager again,"
Picture posted by Adobe Stock - Woman skier relaxing on the snowy slope in the mountains
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Chinese online searches for skateboarding, and surfskating in particular, have soared. Xiaohongshu, a shopping and lifestyle recommendations app, says searches for "lu chong", which translates to "land surfboard", rose by 50 times in June from a year earlier.

E-commerce giant JD.com reported 80 per cent growth in surfskateboard sales in June, compared with the same period last year.

At one of Burning Ice skateboard shop's five Beijing branches, revenues were up around 300 per cent this year, according to a store manager who declined to be named.


At one of Burning Ice skateboard shop's five Beijing branches, revenues were up around 300 per cent this year, according to a store manager who declined to be named.
PHOTO: At one of Burning Ice skateboard shop's five Beijing branches, revenues were up around 300 per cent this year, according to a store manager who declined to be named.
Picture posted by Adobe Stock - Woman in swimsuit lying on the spring grass nearly snowy mountains and forests
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Surfskateboards at the store, which range in price from around 400 yuan (S$83) to more than 4,000 yuan, make up around 50 per cent of the increase, he said. Women account for around 70 per cent of the stores sales.

Some said they took up the sport as a hobby when Covid-19 made summer travel difficult.


Women account for around 70 per cent of the stores sales.
PHOTO: Women account for around 70 per cent of the stores sales. Some said they took up the sport as a hobby when Covid-19 made summer travel difficult.
Picture posted by marty mcfly on 05 May 2022 at 10:32:48 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1QdncU1IQLxE64gKjfl5HyfPdpDT0FrVaZmXo8jtEjyuOurko_-2LWtVF5kKtuPI2-GHrzIkgD360D1TZzo3Z3eISP3J-E_y3xp01VVtFZSYyJ0AsAuGL2aT50ayGqlXNK67rcGftpq7VLZd2XpC-jNWW1mf3vgmcAHOauysOGfCZMqrJr5uA1R5/s736/f85412187c79d2d314fb5f358e20dab7.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f8/54/12/f85412187c79d2d314fb5f358e20dab7.jpg
https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=121958.0


"I have the feeling that I have returned to the beach," said Yoyo, 34, a finance professional, part-time diving coach and surfer, who had been glum over the lockdown.

"It's hot in the summer, but I have the wind in my hair and I feel free."


I have the feeling that I have returned to the beach,
PHOTO: "I have the feeling that I have returned to the beach," said Yoyo, 34, a finance professional, part-time diving coach and surfer, who had been glum over the lockdown.
Picture posted by Adobe Stock - Woman at ski resort enjoying the spring sun
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It's hot in the summer, but I have the wind in my hair and I feel free.
By Reuters, Asiaone, 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am
Source: Reuters
Reference
[1] Reuters, Asiaone, Amid Covid-19 shutdowns, Chinese women flock to skateboarding, posted on 19 July 2022 at 10:43 am, https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/amid-covid-19-shutdowns-chinese-women-flock-skateboarding


Links


Busan ​​International Film Festival (BIFF) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/09/busan-international-film-festival-biff.html

Japanese Samba Carnival (links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/japanese-samba-carnival-links.html
 
Asakusa Samba Carnival (links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/asakusa-samba-carnival.html

Brazilian Samba Carnival - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/brazilian-samba-carnival-links.html

Scandinavian Samba Carnival (links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/scandinavian-samba-carnival-links.html

Other stories - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/05/other-stories.html

Nursing stories - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/09/nursing-stories.html

Healthcare stories (links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/01/healthcare-stories-links.html

Movie (Links) - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/11/movie-links.html

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Monday, September 2, 2019

What Chinese women wear: debate reveals battle between freedom and tradition

Source Website: https://www.asiaone.com/china/china-debate-what-women-wear-challenges-gender-norms
By Mandy Zuo, South China Morning Post, Asiaone, 02 September 2019


Kazakh actress Reyizha Alimjan’s fashion choices sparked a social media storm in China last month.
PHOTO: Kazakh actress Reyizha Alimjan’s fashion choices sparked a social media storm in China last month.
PHOTO: Weibo
By Mandy Zuo, South China Morning Post on 01 September 2019 at 07:30am 
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpReCjoGwNGT0u0jGMOat4ik7oKTQv3dbzTn3_CyBYgZkN-hOPmkbjlIpFS_PaJkybO2EStqnxV4Ex7itJWxw6BIaqztMzwNDlutfgitGP5qHITL2E2IC-8E7l5XqVLDS0nOSv7eOSsg/s1600/fb63ac0a-cb24-11e9-b4e3-f796e392de6b_972x_114744.jpeg
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https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3025202/fashion-freedom-why-chinese-womens-clothing-choices-should-be-no


When Li Xiang broke up with her boyfriend over a selfie she posted on social media, it was not just about a woman letting a man know he wasn't entitled to tell her how to dress in public, but a matter of personal freedom, social norms and cultural tradition.

A few weeks ago, the 24-year-old media worker from Shanghai shared a photo on WeChat that showed her posing at her bedroom door in a camisole and mini shorts. Her boyfriend said it made him very "uncomfortable", and they quarrelled.

"'Look how scantily clad you are, and [if] that is not enough, you shared it online,' he said," Li recalled.


Look how scantily clad you are, and [if] that is not enough, you shared it online.
PHOTO: "Look how scantily clad you are, and [if] that is not enough, you shared it online."
Picture by ED-Creations, published on 11 December 2015 - Virgin of Tauros
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvSawEAv1M5_mwrE7Io57Ii1JnIgGZgAhzXzNpQFKBwP0BwAFONmpbb9m6yFD2DdNkxa7ZzTb20RikbbrMnoBcYGjLmHNJ4EcfzctGT0evp9K2b8Asn8rtX0EM8xUIryiV3vvNQwexLI/s1600/virgin_of_tauros_by_ed_creations_d9jqtd7-fullview.jpg
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https://www.deviantart.com/ed-creations/art/Virgin-of-Tauros-577359403


"I got mad when he said, 'You should go and ask other men if they'd like their girlfriends to dress like that', as if he should decide what I wear - as if I were his appendage," she said, referring to the archaic notion that a woman is secondary to a man in their relationship.

Their argument was not unusual in China, especially over the past month when the online world became embroiled in a war of words about women's freedom to dress as they please.

The controversy erupted when an article defending Reyizha Alimjan - the Kazakh actress criticised for showing too much flesh when she arrived at an airport in Shanghai in late July wearing jeans and a camisole - appeared on a WeChat movie review account called Staff of the 3rd Hall on August 12.

While that perspective was supported by many women online, others disagreed and said that society was open and tolerant but that people had the right to disagree.


An article defending Reyizha Alimjan - the Kazakh actress criticised for showing too much flesh was supported by many women online, others disagreed and said that society was open and tolerant but that people had the right to disagree.
PHOTO: An article defending Reyizha Alimjan - the Kazakh actress criticised for showing too much flesh was supported by many women online, others disagreed and said that society was open and tolerant but that people had the right to disagree.
Picture by MelFeanen, published on 24 May 2016 - The Queen
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKQitV01wPfZjR6X8Vid-_e9Tey10Gdlt3q5t2L6GAU4sWA_WvTKA3l0WUyDpZgjElIhJ-GMmMTYGX95qkzyhB8qJS0xcCTgzn8mrgqU-Cm9CfIRFQleavNF7EKc5wtYEhBGhQqSy6E0/s1600/the_queen_by_melfeanen_da3q7vl_1.jpg
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https://www.deviantart.com/melfeanen/art/The-Queen-610923873


By coincidence, a poll about women wearing camisoles in public was launched on August 10 by a WeChat account called Cicada Creativity. About 70 of the nearly 14,000 respondents said they did not dare to do so.

More than 40 per cent avoided doing so for reasons such as thinking they were "not thin enough", but a quarter said they said no because either their boyfriends disapproved or would not allow it, or they feared they would be harassed.

Joy Lin, a feminist from Shanghai, said the debate was so fierce because it was not just about dress.

"It's more about people's judgment about one's character and morals behind what she wears," Lin said. "If you wear revealing clothes, they would say you are asking for harassment. If you show a little skin, you are frigid. And if you are casual, they call you 'dama' [Chinese slang, often derogatory, for middle-aged and elderly women]."


It's more about people's judgment about one's character and morals behind what she wears
PHOTO: "It's more about people's judgment about one's character and morals behind what she wears," Lin said. "If you wear revealing clothes, they would say you are asking for harassment. If you show a little skin, you are frigid. And if you are casual, they call you 'dama' [Chinese slang, often derogatory, for middle-aged and elderly women]."
Picture by EstherPuche-Art, published on 23 January 2015 - Angel of Mercy
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https://www.deviantart.com/estherpuche-art/art/Angel-of-Mercy-508829235


In her experience, Lin said that if she appeared on the streets of Shanghai - the most cosmopolitan city in China - without a bra, there would be judgmental looks from passers-by before she had walked 10 metres (33 feet).

In contrast, she did just that in Paris in July, and, "no one stared at me or came near me at all".

"Usually, when it comes to comments about what we wear, they're not about whether the dress matches the hairstyle or things like that, but about our bodies, whether we're slim or not and stuff like that," she said. "Some [comments] can be very malicious and insulting."


Usually, when it comes to comments about what we wear, they're not about whether the dress matches the hairstyle or things like that, but about our bodies, whether we're slim or not and stuff like that.
Usually, when it comes to comments about what we wear, they're not about whether the dress matches the hairstyle or things like that, but about our bodies, whether we're slim or not and stuff like that.
PHOTO: "Usually, when it comes to comments about what we wear, they're not about whether the dress matches the hairstyle or things like that, but about our bodies, whether we're slim or not and stuff like that."
Picture by EnchantedWhispersArt, published on 04 December 2014 - Feel the Magic
gif file generated by Animated Images Effects Generator at http://www.webestools.com/animated-images-effect-generator-effects-gif-images-picture-blog-gif-fx-images-animated-effect.html
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While shaming women for their clothing choices has been an issue for many years, it reached peak public awareness in China after the #MeToo movement took off in the US. The social media campaign went viral in 2017 when dozens of women accused American film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assaults over a period of nearly 30 years.

Lu Peng, a researcher from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said the online debate helped encapsulate conflicts between a growing desire for freedom, gender norms and generations of tradition.

"There will hardly be a consensus on such a question about whether women have the freedom to dress," he said. "But if this discussion can make people realise that men, not just women, also face restrictions in dressing, then it's bringing progress."

The simplest example was to dress for the occasion, which applies to both sexes.

"We have never been free in dressing. We're only free within a certain extent … About what to wear in public, I don't think we should emphasise freedom only and ignore the local culture and society," Lu said.


We have never been free in dressing.
PHOTO: "We have never been free in dressing. We're only free within a certain extent … About what to wear in public, I don't think we should emphasise freedom only and ignore the local culture and society,"
Artwork by Euselia, published:on 29 August 2015 - Forest Queen
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https://www.deviantart.com/euselia/art/Forest-Queen-556805586


In China, there is no law banning states of dress or undress in public, nor do the Han people, who make up most of the population, have religious beliefs that restrict their mode of dress. But keeping a low profile and avoiding unwanted attention has long been part of the Chinese philosophy.

"My father will also ask me not to be 'overexposed', because he believes it's increasing the risk of being harassed," Li, the Shanghai media worker, said.

"They think they mean well, but I just want to be myself. I'm not breaking any law. I want to make my own contribution in changing this culture," she said.


They think they mean well, but I just want to be myself. I'm not breaking any law.
They think they mean well, but I just want to be myself. I'm not breaking any law.
PHOTO: "They think they mean well, but I just want to be myself. I'm not breaking any law. I want to make my own contribution in changing this culture."
Picture by Pygar, published on 20 October 2014 - Forest Nymph
gif file generated by Animated Images Effects Generator at http://www.webestools.com/animated-images-effect-generator-effects-gif-images-picture-blog-gif-fx-images-animated-effect.html
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https://www.deviantart.com/pygar/art/Forest-Nymph-489641816
 

The Bible first mentions the issue of clothing in Genesis 3.
The Bible first mentions the issue of clothing in Genesis 3.
PHOTO: The Bible first mentions the issue of clothing in Genesis 3. After Adam and Eve had disobeyed God they realised that they were naked, so they made coverings for themselves from fig leaves: “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (NIV). However, shortly afterwards God made garments made out of animal skin for them: “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21).

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." (1 Peter 3:3-4).
Picture by Ita-Its-art, published on 24 March 2015 - sve131112 640A
gif file generated by Animated Images Effects Generator at http://www.webestools.com/animated-images-effect-generator-effects-gif-images-picture-blog-gif-fx-images-animated-effect.html
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By Mandy Zuo, South China Morning Post, Asiaone, 02 September 2019
This article was first published in South China Morning Post.



Reference
[1] Mandy Zuo, South China Morning Post, Asiaone, In China, debate on what women wear challenges gender norms, posted on 02 September 2019, https://www.asiaone.com/china/china-debate-what-women-wear-challenges-gender-norms


New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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