SHANGHAI — When her beloved dog Nini turned 10, Zhang Yueyan became concerned. How many years would she have left with her companion? The news that Hollywood star Barbra Streisand had her pet cloned brought comfort; by the time Nini was on her last leg of life, Zhang could do the same. The only thing holding her back was that the cheapest option, a South … Continue reading China’s Copy Paste Pups
GUIZHOU, Southwest China — It’s late afternoon, and, indifferent to the slight drizzle, children are chasing each other around the playground. A few floors above, a group of retirees is sitting on chairs or leaning against the railing, looking down. “It’s my favorite time of the day,” 85-year-old Liu Guirong says. “Watching them play is very invigorating and satisfying.” Liu lives in Xiyanghong, a combined … Continue reading Pensioners and Preschoolers Mix it Up in Chinese Nursery
SHANGHAI — When Marie Guo confided in her dormmates about her asexuality, she received little sympathy. Instead, they questioned how a virgin could be so sure she didn’t feel sexually attracted to anybody. “They suggested I have sex with my boyfriend and emphasized I needed to do it repeatedly before drawing a conclusion,” Guo tells Sixth Tone. Being questioned, ridiculed, and dismissed is a common … Continue reading Chinese Asexuals Navigate Love, Duty, and Ignorance
ZHEJIANG, East China — On a theater stage in the city of Hangzhou, a male character reflects on the time he date-raped a woman. “I finally broke through her defense and forcefully penetrated her. Controlling her, I felt the happiness of a conqueror. The insertion of my penis seems to have stamped a seal on her body, a label marking my sovereignty.” The unflinching scene … Continue reading How ‘The Penis Monologues’ Challenges China’s Toxic Masculinity
SHANGHAI — When Chen Lijun explains the damage giving birth can do to the body, the young women in her audience gasp. Unsatisfying sex, prolapsed organs, and an inability to hold in your pee aren’t exactly the sorts of things their mothers told them about. But, to her audience’s obvious relief, there are solutions, says Chen, a health instructor who specializes in the pelvic floor — the … Continue reading Fighting China’s Shame and Ignorance on Postpartum Incontinence
When East Meets West 