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+---- Thread: Article Women-only communities flourish in China (/showthread.php?tid=1484)
Women-only communities flourish in China - Magpie - Aug 23 2025
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/18/asia-pacific/society/china-women-only-communities/
https://archive.ph/voLWY
Quote:Lilith Jiang, the founder of the all-women cultural space "Half the Sky" in Beijing, said these community-oriented facilities fill a void.
"Men have plenty of opportunities to socialise, while drinking or while exercising," she said.
"Women don't have that."
Down the line, she said non-traditional structures could offer an alternative for single women worried about aging alone.
"Women are constantly told: 'If you don't get married, what will become of you when you get older?'" said Jiang.
"But long-term, all-female shared co-living spaces where women can grow old together could be a solution."
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - Elsacat - Aug 24 2025
"Not being forced to wear a bra is already a kind of freedom."
Amen, sister.
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - eyeswideopen - Aug 24 2025
This sounds extremely interesting. Thanks so much for the link!
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - ptittle - Sep 4 2025
(Aug 24 2025, 7:04 PM)Elsacat "Not being forced to wear a bra is already a kind of freedom."
Amen, sister.
What country are you in that you're forced to wear a bra? What happens if you don't? How do people know whether you are or aren't?
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - Elsacat - Sep 4 2025
If I don't wear one? Unwelcome attention, and except with thicker or very layered shirts/sweaters, it's obvious.
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - ptittle - Sep 5 2025
(Sep 4 2025, 6:27 PM)Elsacat If I don't wear one? Unwelcome attention, and except with thicker or very layered shirts/sweaters, it's obvious.
I wouldn't call that being "forced". In some countries women are "forced" BY LAW, by penalty of STONING, to wear oppressive clothing.
You're going to get unwelcome attention anyway. Ignore it.
I haven't worn a bra since 1978. Nor have I shaved my legs since then.
Sometimes people give me a second look. Big wup.
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - Clover - Sep 5 2025
Why, when we speak about the concept of women being "forced" to do something, there is some arbitrary line being drawn? Why is only "risk of death"/rule of law for not behaving a certain way count as "forced"? Are we supposed to ignore the fact we are a social species and that peer/societal pressure to look/act a certain way can feel like force?
When women don't wear bras, they risk unwanted attention and sexual harassment. At some areas of employment, not wearing a bra could be considered "unprofessional" (even though apparently there's no issue with anyone having to see men's nipples and fatty breast tissue) and women therefore risk not getting a job or "written up" and at risk of termination, if their manager is a misogynist.
I dont know how women living their lives thinking that they "need" to wear a bra in order to avoid sexual harassment when they go out is somehow not a "forced" behavior. I'm thinking about the "subway shirt" trend where women are now bringing a long-sleeved shapeless shirt to wear on the subway to avoid being sexually harassed by men. Are they forced to wear a "subway shirt"? No, not literally. Are they forced to change their way of life because of the behavior of misogynistic men? I would say yes. They are now forced to decide when they ride the subway if they want to risk being harassed or if they need to bring a shirt to cover up, something they otherwise wouldn't have thought of doing had it not been for the behavior of misogynistic men.
What is even the point of nitpicking over the word "forced"? If it's not a literal usage, then it's a hyperbolic one. It's still a valid way for her to express what she feels it's like to be a woman in a sexist world.
And, even then, isn't the bigger issue at hand that women feel like "forced" is an apt word to describe what it feels like to have to dress and act in a male-dominated society?
RE: Women-only communities flourish in China - Impress Polly - Sep 11 2025
I don't wear bras because there are men with bigger tits than mine, so there's no reason to, lol. :P
But seriously, this is inspiring!!