Gender Double Standard on Infidelity in China: Testimony from a Chinese Post-90s’ Social Network

Changing gender dynamics in post-reform China has drawn increasing attention. In field of private family, much research has investigated gender relationships. Yet, there is a lack of studies on attitudes towards sexuality, especially from the perspective of gender double standard. This research examines whether and to what extent the gender double standard on infidelity exists and how it varies by gender.

I conducted a cell-phone based survey to ask people’s attitude towards recent widely discussed extramarital infidelity behavior committed by two celebrities in China, one female and the other male. Data are collected from my 338 Wechat (the most popular cell phone social media in China) friends. My findings show that more than three fourth of participants are harsher towards the female celebrity who had the affair. Further, regression models suggest that men are more likely to hold a gender double standard on infidelity, as they are more permissive towards male than female when it goes to cheating. In contrast, women are harsher towards infidelity, no matter committed by male or female.