Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Women and gender

Women and gender
News and analysis on women's rights, the gender gap, LGBTQ issues, sexual harassment, sexual minorities and masculinity in Asia and beyond.
Afghan girls at a primary school in Kabul. The Taliban does not permit girls to study beyond primary education. Photo: AFP
Afghanistan

2.4 million Afghan girls banned from schools 5 years after Taliban takeover: UN

The United Nations is urging an end to the ‘discriminatory’ Taliban policy that prevents girls from studying beyond primary school.

videocam
Indonesia

Indonesian Islamic body warns against cross-dressing in Independence Day games

Wellness

What’s really in your menstrual products – and should you be worried?

China society

Being Chinese | Don’t you dare come between Chinese women and our virtual boyfriends

An unexpected game character inspired a revolt by disappointed female fans. To understand why, we need to look at Chinese digital culture.

videocam
A wallpaper featuring Xavier, a male character in Love and Deepspace. The Chinese mobile romance game combines cinematic 3D graphics, combat and an ambitious science fiction story with in-game dating. Photo: Papergames
Malaysia

‘This is not hijab’: unpicking controversy behind Uniqlo Malaysia’s new line

Critics are taking issue with images showing the cloth wrapped turban-like around the head, leaving parts of the neck and chest visible.

China society

Opinion | China’s baby boom depends on gender equality, not cash handouts

To arrest its falling birth rate, China must ensure women do not have to choose between motherhood and the lives they have built.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Singapore

Singapore jails man who had secret sexual ‘relationship’ with niece, 13

The man, 38, was sentenced to 21 years’ jail and 16 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to charges including rape and sexual assault.

videocam
People take pictures next to the Merlion statue at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore. For each charge of statutory rape, the man could have been jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned. Photo: AFP
Gender

Influencer dropped from Malaysian blockchain conference after backlash

Good Schools Guide

Are Hong Kong schools equipped to tackle deepfake sexual abuse?

Deepfake apps can produce sexualised fake images within minutes, and child-protection experts are urging schools and families to take this seriously.

United States

Tate brothers to remain in US jail as they fight extradition to UK

Influencers fight extradition over new rape and sex trafficking charges as their lawyer claims prosecution lacks evidence.

videocam
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan in 2024. Photo: AFP
Style Edit

Style Edit: Graff’s new butterflies celebrate art, artists and divine inspiration

12 new designs blend art and mythology, showcasing diamonds with vibrant gems inspired by deities and cultural icons.

The making of Graff’s Tamara Butterfly brooch. Photo: Handout
Arts & Culture

The women problem in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Indonesia

In Indonesia’s island paradise, humans are still born into slavery

Though slavery has been illegal in what is now Indonesia for more than 160 years, it survives in Sumba’s rigid caste system.

United States

Tate brothers to fight extradition from US to UK following Miami arrests

Social media influencers appear in Miami court in handcuffs as lawyer claims arrests were politically motivated.

Andrew Tate (right) and his brother Tristan in Miami in April. Photo: AP
Britain

J.K. Rowling condemns Amnesty for branding her women’s crisis centre anti-rights

The ‘Harry Potter’ author, who has spoken in the past of being a survivor of domestic violence, set up Beira’s Place in 2022.

J.K. Rowling poses on the red carpet at the premiere of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” in London on March 29, 2022. Photo: AFP
LGBTQ

Indonesia’s anti-LGBT education push raises concern

China's population

China’s population ageing seen as ‘inevitable’ by 2050. Why push more births?

Raising the fertility rate above 1.3 still remains crucial to preventing a far worse scenario later in the century, analysts say.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Germany

German far-right activist sent to men’s prison despite gender change

Liebich, who was sentenced as a man, legally changed gender after Germany’s Self-Determination Act came into effect in 2024.

Marla-Svenja Liebich, a convicted German far-right extremist formerly known as Sven Liebich, is escorted by Czech prison service to the regional court on May 18. Photo: AFP
United States

Trump defence chief Hegseth unveils plan to test US troops for low testosterone

The Pentagon head says the screenings for those 30 and older will allow service members to operate at their ‘absolute best’.

videocam
5
Wellness

Hong Kong start-ups are closing ‘glaring gap’ in women’s health technology

Meet the Hong Kong innovators who are addressing the needs for women-focused health solutions, from apps to fertility treatment centres.

Sexual harassment and assault

Closing the loophole in Hong Kong’s sex crime laws

Closing the loophole in Hong Kong’s sex crime laws
Singapore

Is super-ageing Singapore headed for population decline?

With babies in short supply and its birth rate tanking, the city state is weighing a future of robots and immigrants.

videocam
5
Illustration: Huy Truong
Gender

Abortion ban drives Filipino women to underground services

Sexual harassment and assault

British teen rapists get detention after outrage at lenient sentences

The two boys were originally given youth rehabilitation orders after raping two girls; videos of the attacks were shared online.

The Philippines

‘Providing a solution’? Why some Filipinos risk their lives amid abortion ban

Filipinos wanting to end unwanted pregnancies have resorted to black-market alternatives that can result in life-threatening consequences.

videocam
A placard is displayed in front of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, the Philippines, during a Catholic organised anti-abortion rally in 2011. Photo: Getty Images
United States

US Supreme Court upholds state bans on transgender student athletes

Trump said the ‘ridiculous situation’ of ‘men playing in women’s sports’ was now ‘off the table’ after the hotly contested culture war fight.

videocam
Women celebrate the US Supreme Court’s final rulings of its nine-month term, including a decision that cleared the way for states to impose restrictions on transgender athletes in schools. Photo: Reuters
Trending in China

China ‘Spider-Woman’ single mum scales high-rises to support family

Xu receives widespread praise, as many believe that ‘a mother’s love can elevate her above hundreds of metres’ truly reflects her job.

Gender

Creating safe spaces for Singapore's men

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement