FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images
A woman applies makeup at a railway station in Beijing on December 12, 2014.
A woman applies makeup at a railway station in Beijing on December 12, 2014.
A woman applies makeup at a railway station in Beijing on December 12, 2014.
Hong Kong (CNN) –– A promotional video from a state-owned railway in China asking women to refrain from wearing make-up during train journeys has sparked an angry reaction and debate about sexism.
On Saturday, the China Railways clip was the most searched, most read and most debated item on China’s Twitter-like social media platform Weibo – two months after it was originally posted.
The post has sparked an angry reaction amid a broader feminist movement demanding greater gender equality in the country of 1.4 billion, where boardrooms and top government bodies are often dominated by men – and where, in the past, The feminist movement has often been censored.
The post appears to have been made as part of a campaign by the railways to reduce anti-social behavior by passengers and follows a series of other posts urging people not to litter, to be kind to other people Instructions have been given not to occupy seats or talk too loudly.
The video, unveiled in July, shows a stylishly dressed woman preparing to apply lotion and foundation while sitting in the cabin of a high-speed inter-city train.
A man sitting in the seat next to her stops her and hits her on the shoulder, and the clip then shows the man’s face covered in his foundation.
He then tells the woman, “I don’t need makeup, babe,” and the woman apologizes and helps him clean up.
The nearly one-minute clip has sparked controversy that shows no signs of abating.
By Saturday, the hashtag associated with it had received 340 million views and 20,000 comments. Many citizens criticized the video, calling it objectionable.
“Why does it have to be a gender-centric issue of women wearing make-up to portray rude behavior?” one Weibo user asked.
Others defended the right to wear makeup. “There’s nothing rude about it,” said one.
Another asked, “Will the next step include a permanent ban on women on trains?”
CNN has contacted China Railways for comment.
Chinese officials have tried to defend the ad, with a commentary broadcast by state media outlets calling on people not to “overinterpret” it.
The commentary, first published in Nanfang Daily, claimed the make-up incidents featured were among the “most common” complaints.
However, it acknowledged that there were a number of poor behaviors – such as speaking too loudly or occupying another passenger’s seat.
It added, “The publisher of the video is not asking people not to wear makeup on the train, but is advocating for civilized travel and consideration of the feelings of other passengers.”
In response to inquiries from the local press, staff at China Railway’s customer service hotline said that wearing makeup on trains is not prohibited.
Source
