“We need a little bit of misandry to balance misogyny”: An analysis of feminist resistant discourse on Chinese social media

This study examines feminist resistant discourse on Weibo as a form to combat domestic violence and patriarchal narratives, analysing 1285 comments from women on four high-profile domestic violence cases. The findings highlight three key discursive strategies: the adaptation of old terms and create new neologisms to challenge patriarchal discourse; rejection of heterosexual relationships; and the construction of the “independent woman” as an ideal. This study argues that current feminist resistant discourse on Weibo has shifted away from collective action toward a focus on individual empowerment, emphasising personal attitudes and lifestyle choices over structural critique. While such discourse empowers some women and fosters emotional solidarity, it also generates internal exclusions, class-based hierarchies, and a tendency to reproduce patriarchal logic through moralising rhetoric.