Porn stars and lingerie ads: New tech but same old sexism at Chinese internet firms

E-commerce giant Alibaba sought job applicants with porn star attributes and other tech firms host adult video starlets: the mainland's new economy powerhouses are not immune from old-style sexism.

Communist leader Mao Zedong declared that "Women hold up half the sky", but academics say the country is still far from gender equality, even in the modern and fast-growing tech sector.

"In mainstream [Chinese] society, there is objectification of women and gender inequality," said Wang Ping of the Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences. "It might be more serious in technology companies."

Nasdaq-listed online marketplace JD.com triggered online outrage in May when it promoted International Nurses Day with images of health workers in lingerie-like uniforms.

"I will never buy things from JD again. What disgusting behaviour!" one woman wrote.

The firm quickly yanked the ad and apologised.

The authorities detained five feminist activists for over a month earlier this year after they planned to hand out leaflets about sexual harassment on public transport.

Chinese technology companies have a history of inviting Japanese adult film stars to events. Although authorities ban online content they consider pornographic, illegal downloads have given some adult film actresses massive followings in the country. Internet technology company NetEase invited Anri Okita to its offices in 2013, when she ate lunch and took photos with male staff. Shanghai-based gaming company Dream invited Yui Hatano to its annual company party last year, while internet security company Qihoo 360 hosted Rola Takizawa.

An advert for support staff for computer programmers on Alibaba's official recruitment website mentioned porn star Sola Aoi.

"You can be like 'Teacher Aoi' whose virtue and skills comprise a doubly strong and pervasive fragrance, the world in her breast," the ad read.

"You can be like Song Hye-kyo, from a respectable family, a heavenly beauty, who makes fish sink and birds alight, who obscures the moon and makes flowers blush," it said, referring to a mainstream South Korean actress.

Alibaba removed the ad and apologised following criticism.

It was "intended to be an attempt at humorous marketing to recruit IT talent", the company said. "We apologise to anyone offended … Alibaba is committed to providing equal opportunity and fair treatment to all employees on the basis of merit, without discrimination."

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: New tech but same old sexism at internet firms

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