Chinese feminists in exile find solace and empowerment through stand-up comedy in New York City. They use comedy as a means of resistance against censorship and to share personal stories of activism. The podcast explores the challenges faced by feminist activists in China and the unique atmosphere of a stand-up feminist comedy club.
Chinese feminists in exile are using stand-up comedy as a platform to freely express politically charged issues.
The stand-up comedy show provides a sense of community and empowerment for Chinese feminists living in exile.
Deep dives
Feminist Stand-Up Comedy Show in New York
The podcast episode explores a Chinese feminist stand-up comedy show in New York City called Nurzajou-e. Chinese feminists who have left China are using stand-up comedy as a way to rebuild a feminist community from the outside. The show provides a space for Chinese feminists to freely express themselves and discuss politically charged issues. This alternative version of China allows the performers to address topics like MeToo, gender discrimination, and government oppression through comedy.
The Political and Social Context in China
The podcast highlights the challenging environment for feminists in China. The controls on stand-up comedy and online activism have become stricter, with self-censorship being common. The episode mentions specific cases of feminists facing backlash, criminal investigations, and losing their social media accounts. The Chinese government's crackdown on activism and the pressure on civil society make it difficult for feminists to speak up and create change within China.
Cathartic and Moving Performances
The stand-up comedy show provides a platform for feminists to share their stories, experiences, and feelings. The performances include both humorous and serious moments, with some acts focusing on political satire and criticism. There are also personal stories shared about coming out, witnessing abuse, and grappling with fear. The show aims to create a sense of community, catharsis, and empowerment among Chinese feminists living in exile.
Building Hope and a Vision for the Future
The podcast explores the motivations and aspirations of the Chinese feminists involved in the comedy show. While they acknowledge the limitations of creating immediate change in China's political climate, they believe in keeping hope alive and nurturing a vision for a better future. The focus is on surviving and outliving the current repressive stage in China, while quietly planting seeds of resistance and maintaining a sense of community and solidarity.
Tickets for “Nvzizhuyi”—a monthly stand-up comedy show in New York City— often sell out in less than a minute. The show invites Chinese citizens, mostly women, to tell jokes, perform skits and recount the absurd challenges they’ve encountered as feminist activists in China—things they could never utter in public back home.
This week, Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, reports from the dark basement of a comedy club. Together with David Rennie, The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, they ask: Why are some of China’s exiled feminists doing stand-up comedy abroad? And can their performances have any impact back home?
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