On February 28, Chinese influencer @Alex绝对是个妞儿 (translated as ‘Alex is definitely a girl,’ hereafter referred to as Alex) released the first episode of a video series titled International Menstrual Report. Don’t let its evocative name fool you, though: Instead of discussing the menstrual cycle, the report covers global news related to gender equality and the representation of women.
The series was named after the monthly changes a woman’s body goes through to prepare for the prospect of pregnancy to highlight its monthly release schedule.
According to Alex, the online program, which is shared on her social media channels, aims to show Chinese people what women from other countries and racial groups are doing regarding gender issues.
“Although there are things that we can’t talk about, I still believe we can talk about lots of other topics,” Alex writes on Weibo. “We can see small changes are happening in other countries and different industries.”
In the inaugural episode, which has been viewed more than 350,000 times, Alex touches on Rihanna’s pregnancy reveal photos, encouraging viewers to embrace the bodily changes that come with pregnancy.
“We don’t have to put ourselves in boring maternity clothes. And we don’t need to hide our bodies when we’re pregnant,” notes the influencer.
In addition, Alex discusses gendered clothing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
As an example, she mentions the short program on the first day of the Games’ marquee women’s figure skating competition. Among 30 contestants, Swedish figure skater Josefin Taljegard was the only female athlete who wore pants, even though the rules did not require participants to wear skirts.
Alex discusses the clothing of athletes at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
According to Alex, female figure skaters generally wear pants during training for practical and comfort reasons. Yet, many opt for skirts in the actual competition because the culture of the sport is still largely influenced by traditional gender roles.
She adds, “Just like male athletes, female athletes can also land a quadruple jump. The Olympic Games still need to make more progress in terms of gender equality.”
Many netizens are excited for Alex’s International Menstrual Report, with one commenting, “I am touched by this series and the stories of women all around the world.”
Another opines, “It is amazing that this series is showing women’s power. I really like it.”
Some viewers especially appreciate the series’ name, arguing it is another step towards overcoming period shame.
“We as a society are making progress — more people are open to talking about periods,” writes one user.
Alex uses her platform on Weibo, where she has more than 1 million followers, to raise awareness of issues faced by Chinese women. She also has a presence on the Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu and video hub Bilibili.
Previously, the influencer has made videos related to reproductive freedom, sexual harassment, and women’s professional development in China.
All images via Weibo
