Understanding Chinese Extreme Feminists – Rebellions and Vulnerabilities Under a Male-Dominated Cyber Space

In recent years, provocative and often derogatory expressions, primarily aimed at mocking Chinese men, have emerged on the Chinese Internet, coined by active female users. This online feminist community, self-identified as ‘Chinese extreme feminists’ (中国极端女权), has faced severe stigmatization and censorship by the PRC and male netizens. Amidst the tension between these feminists and the authorities, as well as the lack of in-depth discourse analysis in current research, this study seeks to deconstruct the discourse of ‘Chinese extreme feminists’ within the broader framework of gender power dynamics. By doing so, it aims to shed light on the praxis of digital feminist activism in China and reveal the gendered power asymmetries within Chinese cyberspace.

Utilizing grounded theory, this research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the discourse of ten active feminist users. Through a Top 100 Word Frequency List and a word cloud, it visualizes a distinct lexicon—one that is subversive, highly gendered, and laden with insult—demonstrating how these feminists reclaim linguistic expression as a form of symbolic empowerment. However, a more nuanced feminist critical discourse analysis uncovers vulnerabilities in their rhetoric, such as ambiguous stances toward neoliberal feminism and a disconnect from grassroots female communities in China.

Further discussions explore the "limits of gender" within the Chinese online public sphere, particularly in light of the rapid rise and fall of this radical feminist group. Ultimately, this paper concludes that despite the inherent contradictions in their discourse and practices, Chinese extreme feminists constitute a profoundly creative and subversive collective, offering a unique glimpse into Chinese female-driven experiment in digital rebellion.