HONG KONG – Government officials in China believe that boys are becoming more effeminate and want to strengthen them.
In the latest attempt to tackle what academics and news outlets call the “masculinity crisis”, the Ministry of Education has proposed to emphasize the “yang spirit”, or masculine attributes, by hiring more sports instructors and redesigning physical education classes in schools elementary and high school.
The plan, in response to a senior official’s call to “prevent the feminization of young men,” was launched last week. It did not include a schedule and few other details, but it did generate online protests and is still generating a heated debate on social networks. A hashtag has been viewed 1.5 billion times on Weibo, a popular microblogging platform.
Some social media users expressed support for the proposal, with one of them writing: “It is hard to imagine that such effeminate boys can defend their country when an external invasion is approaching.” But others saw evidence of sexual discrimination and the perpetuation of gender stereotypes.
Even the state media seemed to question the ministry’s proposal. State broadcaster CCTV wrote in its Weibo report on Saturday: “Education is not just about cultivating ‘men’ and ‘women’. It is more important to develop a willingness to take responsibility. “
The broadcaster also offered a free interpretation of yang, writing: “Men show ‘the spirit of yang’ in behavior, spirit and physique, which is a kind of beauty, but ‘the spirit of yang’ does not simply mean ‘male behavior. ‘”
In recent years, as the country has sought to strengthen its armed forces and rely on spoiled children, especially boys, born under its one-child policy, a more rigid idea of masculinity has emerged. Television censors have clouded the pierced ears of male pop stars. Well-prepared actors have been publicly ridiculed as “some fresh meat”, and parents have enrolled boys in training camps, hoping that they will become “real men”
The Ministry of Education’s plan is a response to a proposal made in May by Si Zefu, one of the main delegates of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Called the “Proposal to Prevent the Feminization of Young Men,” Mr. Si’s proposal said that “many, many more” men should be hired as physical education teachers to exercise “male influence” in schools.
In a statement, Mr. Si said that the prevalence of teachers in kindergartens and elementary schools and the popularity of “cute boys” in pop culture has made boys “weak, inferior and shy”. He also lamented that the boys no longer wanted to become war heroes, warning that such a trend could endanger the Chinese people.
Last year, Xinhua, a state news agency, reported on the gender imbalance of physical education teachers and the difficulties in attracting men to the low-paid profession, which is currently dominated by women. In the past, state media also blamed video games, masturbation and a lack of exercise for making many young people unsuitable for military service.
Mark Ma, an 18-year-old high school student in Shenzhen, said he hosted a review of physical education, but did not think it would have a major effect on the formation of masculinity.
“Physical education at the junior level definitely needs to be improved because a lot of people don’t care about it. They only care about academics, ”he said. “I remember many colleagues sitting on the sidelines during physical education classes, doing their homework.”
He added that he does not believe that “physical education teachers are highly valued in schools; these new policies and better benefits can attract more people to this field. “
As for engendering “the yang spirit” in boys, he said: “I think the main focus of this is on increasing physical strength, and what they mean by ‘masculinity’ is unclear.” He added: “I think it is more important to come from our education and daily habits. I personally do not think that using this label will have much effect on physical education habits. “
While the new Ministry of Education plan does not explicitly propose different treatment for boys and girls, educators like Liu Wenli, a professor at Beijing Normal University and a specialist in health and sex education, see some dangers. Ms. Liu said that even the reference to “feminization of young men” can lead to more student bullying because of their expression of gender, identity or sexual orientation.
“Educators cannot ask for the prevention of bullying in schools while cultivating the soil for bullying in schools,” she wrote on Weibo.
While some Chinese high schools separate students based on physical ability and others allow them to choose their sports classes, most physical education classes at the elementary level are mixed. But gym classes are increasingly seen by the authorities as a solution to the perceived problem of weak boys.
Chunxiao Li, a university researcher who studies inclusive physical education, said by phone on Thursday that it is important to create an inclusive environment. “Overemphasizing masculinity, femininity or physical disabilities is actually detrimental to the diversity and inclusion of society,” he said. “He can create a label or a stereotype.”
Dr. Li said that, in the end, physical education teachers should focus on developing a complete student.
Elsie Chen contributed reporting.