N E W S A N D V I E W S) WANG ZHENG Detention of the Feminist Five in China ON MARCH 6 THIS YEAR,just before International Women's Day,the Chinese police in Beijing arrested five young women who had engaged in activism to protest sexual harassment on public transportation.The month-long detention of these five young feminists has changed the landscape of Chinese feminism.The global feminist mobilization that emerged to appeal for their release also presents a fascinating example of a successful feminist response to authoritarianism.In this short piece, I open with a few personal snapshots to briefly illustrate the history of Chinese feminist engagement with sexist sexual norms.Next,I will sit- uate the five young feminists'actions within this historical context in order to illustrate significant changes in Chinese feminist practices as well as in Chinese society.Finally,I will discuss the political implica- tions of the detention of the so-called Feminist Five as well as the global mobilization for their release. In 1985 I came from Shanghai to study US history at the University of California,Davis.I made quite a few American friends in the gradu- ate program.They were very curious about my life in China,and I was very proud of being a liberated woman from socialist China.I acted like an ambassador,talking to different groups about the great accom- plishments of women's liberation under socialism in China.As a young, urban woman I enjoyed equal education,equal employment,equal pay, and equal opportunity for promotion.I had never experienced gender 476 Feminist Studies 41,no.2.2015 by Feminist Studies,Inc. This content downloaded from 130.15.241.167 on Tue,05 Jan 2016 21:49:13 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions476 Feminist Studies 41, no. 2. © 2015 by Feminist Studies, Inc. Wang Zheng Detention of the Feminist Five in China On March 6 this year, just before International Women’s Day, the Chinese police in Beijing arrested five young women who had engaged in activism to protest sexual harassment on public transportation. The month-long detention of these five young feminists has changed the landscape of Chinese feminism. The global feminist mobilization that emerged to appeal for their release also presents a fascinating example of a successful feminist response to authoritarianism. In this short piece, I open with a few personal snapshots to briefly illustrate the history of Chinese feminist engagement with sexist sexual norms. Next, I will sit￾uate the five young feminists’ actions within this historical context in order to illustrate significant changes in Chinese feminist practices as well as in Chinese society. Finally, I will discuss the political implica￾tions of the detention of the so-called Feminist Five as well as the global mobilization for their release. In 1985 I came from Shanghai to study US history at the University of California, Davis. I made quite a few American friends in the gradu￾ate program. They were very curious about my life in China, and I was very proud of being a liberated woman from socialist China. I acted like an ambassador, talking to different groups about the great accom￾plishments of women’s liberation under socialism in China. As a young, urban woman I enjoyed equal education, equal employment, equal pay, and equal opportunity for promotion. I had never experienced gender This content downloaded from 130.15.241.167 on Tue, 05 Jan 2016 21:49:13 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions