In films and on social media, women in China are openly advocating for themselves and fighting taboos around women’s health
3-MIN READ3-MINPhoebe Zhangin ShenzhenPublished: 9:30am, 16 Apr 2026I heard an audible gasp in the audience, just as a gynaecologist on the movie screen tries to shove a speculum – a hollow cylinder used to open up a woman’s cervix – into the lower body of the protagonist.
The film’s main character, a 25-year-old woman named Xu Ke, grimaces in pain. “Relax,” the gynaecologist says, but her tone and hand movements are anything but relaxing. After a sudden shove, Xu feels the pain, wriggles off the examination table and falls to the floor.
The scene from the drama It’s OK, which opened on April 3, is rare. Young women’s medical needs and discomfort are rarely discussed publicly in China.
Such a bold portrayal of a young woman’s values and the relationship between mother and daughter is rare in China, but it is becoming more popular. In recent years, many films, talk shows and books have focused on what young women want and need, portraying characters who no longer adhere to traditional gender stereotypes.
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