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People playing in Beijing: »Physically weak and emotionally unstable«
Photo: WU HONG / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
The interventionism of the Chinese leadership against the tech industry in their own country continues. For fear of a "effeminate" society, the government is now taking rigorous action against video game manufacturers and obliges them to remove "unmanly" content. "Obscene and violent content as well as those that promote unhealthy tendencies such as money worship and feminization should be removed," the state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday evening. Companies that violate the new regulations would be penalized.
According to experts, behind the arrangement is the conservative, older generation of the Communist Party, which is disturbed by the androgynous aesthetics of modern youth and pop culture.
For this reason, Beijing has been taking action against such ideals of beauty for a long time and advocates the propagation of traditional gender roles.
In parts of Chinese society, the prevailing perception is that "feminine men are physically weak and emotionally unstable," says Professor Geng Song from the University of Hong Kong.
It follows for the party leadership that these men cannot defend their country.
A few days ago, the Chinese television stations were instructed to defend themselves against "abnormal aesthetics" such as "effeminate" men and to include more supposedly typically male representations in their programs.
China is the largest game market in the world.
Tech companies like Tencent and Netease are making millions with their video games.
But recently the government drastically restricted access to online games for minors.
Children and young people are now only allowed to play three hours a week - on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
There may be other restrictions as well.
According to information from the South China Morning Post, the Chinese regulatory authorities have currently stopped releasing any new online games.
pbe / AFP
