Breaking stereotypes with Dr Anita Chan: The Gender Lens that changes everything

Dr Anita Chan Kit-wa serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies. She is an expert in gender and education and has examined various gender issues within Hong Kong’s educational sphere, including the gendered identities among schoolgirls, university males, primary school teachers, and principals, as well as gender differences in choosing STEM subjects among secondary school students. She is also passionate about family and migration studies and has researched parenting, motherhood, fatherhood, changing families and intimacies, cross-border students, and transnational families. Dr Chan is a qualitative researcher specialising in in-depth interviews and life histories.

Her publications have been featured in esteemed journals such as Mobilities, Sociological Research Online, Children and Youth Services Review, Asian Studies Review, International Migration Review, Urban Studies, Journal of Consumer Culture, Gender and Education, and Compare.

In the latest edition of FLASS FORWARD, Dr Chan shares how a gender lens can inspire all of us, women or men, in understanding personal and social relationships, and what we need to do more to achieve gender equality. She also recounts memorable anecdotes when her lessons have enlightened students to look at issues related to gender, sexuality, and equality from a new angle.

A1: A common misconception is that gender studies is only about empowering women to compete with men or reclaim positions of power. In fact, this belief overlooks the true purpose of gender studies.

While the field often focuses on women, mainly because women have historically been marginalised in many societies, gender studies is fundamentally concerned with the complex roles, identities, and relationships of all genders. It examines how societal expectations and norms impact everyone, not just women, and investigates the ways in which these expectations can create challenges for people of all genders. In fact, today most gender studies programmes and research use an intersectional lens: it considers how issues such as race, class, sexuality, age, and culture intersect with gender to share experiences of poverty, discrimination, bullying, mental health, and migration.

Since the 1980s, to better reflect the widening scope, many academic programmes have changed their names from “Women’s Studies” to “Gender Studies”. Today, the discipline seeks to analyse and challenge systems of power between and among women and men. The goal is not simply to reverse traditional gender hierarchies but to question and dismantle rigid, binary and oppressive structures altogether.

Gender, as understood in this context, is not an innate biological fact, but a social construct, with society determining what norms, behaviours, and roles are considered appropriate for each gender. These societal norms and expectations are what we call masculinity and femininity.

Importantly, narrow definitions of masculinity can be restrictive for men as well. Men often feel pressured to appear stoic, aggressive, competitive, and dominant. These rigid gender expectations prevent men from expressing their vulnerability or emotional needs, and can be harmful, as they affect men’s well-being just as gendered stereotypes affect women. However, it is encouraging to see more young men today beginning to embrace their vulnerability and openly express their emotional needs.

A2: Over the past several decades, we’ve seen women’s status in Hong Kong improve significantly, especially since the introduction of compulsory free education in the early 1970s. Today, you’ll find more young women in our universities, and an increasing number of women in professional fields, in middle and senior management, and even in public offices. Yet, despite these advancements, the general public doesn’t always perceive this as progress; instead, there is sometimes talk of “a crisis of masculinity”.

In fact, a study from 2010 on men’s gender identities in Hong Kong found that many men, regardless of age, still strongly adhere to traditional ideas about gender. Many felt that men should remain the main breadwinners and heads of the family and believed they ought to earn more than women, especially their own wives. Ironically, they admitted that they struggled to live up to these expectations, and these very ideals often caused them a great deal of stress.

What this study tells us is that social expectations around masculinity can be very restrictive. At the same time, when men see the progress women have made, it sometimes stirs up anxiety, not only about changing gender dynamics, but also about losing their own place or sense of authority, both at home and in the wider world. If men see women’s improved opportunities as threatening, it becomes even harder to achieve genuine gender equality.

That’s why a “gender lens” is important. When we look at society through this lens, we start to see how power and inequality operate at the structural and individual levels, but also the possibilities for resistance and change. Gender studies is not just about personal relationships or family dynamics; it is relevant across education, poverty, sustainability, climate change, literature, film, public policy, globalisation, and so much more.

Ultimately, my hope as a teacher is to help students see that gender studies is about striving for a more just, caring and equal society for everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, or social class. If we want a truly sustainable society, we must ensure equality and justice for all.

A3: That’s a great question. Of course, each of us has the right to make personal choices about who we are and how we live. But it’s important to recognise that our decisions are shaped not just by individual will; they are also influenced by the world around us.

Take the family as an example. The way we decide chores at home or decide who cares for the children does not happen in a vacuum; it reflects longstanding social patterns and expectations about gender. Even today, in many middle-class Hong Kong families with two working parents, men tend to do less housework and childcare than women. And while some families might be able to rely on foreign domestic workers, when extra help is not available, say, when a helper is on leave, it is still far more common for women to take time off work to look after the children and to supervise their schoolwork, especially during the examination period. In fact, when families cannot find reliable childcare, women are more likely than men to quit their jobs to assume caregiving.

Some women may embrace the role of mothering wholeheartedly, and it is absolutely valid. However, we also need to consider that others might feel they simply don’t have a real choice. The film ‘Montages of a Modern Motherhood (虎毒不)’ beautifully captures this tension.

As a sociologist and as someone who cares about teaching gender studies, I see how social institutions, such as family, education, the workplace, and government, all play powerful roles in influencing our lives and shaping our options. When women routinely step back from their careers for childcare, society can easily fall into the trap of thinking that women are naturally better caregivers or less ambitious than men. And that, in turn, shapes how other women see themselves and the possibilities they imagine for their own futures.

So yes, our choices are personal, but they are never made in isolation. If we want true equality, we have to look beyond individual decisions and ask: what are the forces at work around us? How can we create a society where everyone, regardless of gender, has the freedom and support to shape their own lives?

A4: Yes, it is encouraging to see how far we have come. Today, women’s rights are more protected than ever, with stronger legal frameworks against sexual discrimination and a growing sense of gender awareness across society. But even as we celebrate these advancements, we need to keep in mind that gender issues have not vanished, and they have just become more subtle.

Take a walk through any MTR station, and you’ll see wall after wall of ads for slimming drinks, bust-enhancement creams, whitening lotions, and an endless array of beauty products targeting women of all ages. These messages bombard us, telling women to be successful, attractive, or even just accepted, they must constantly work on their appearance. It is exhausting. There is the relentless pressure to stay slim, sexy, youthful, and pretty.

And while we might believe that women today enjoy greater freedom, including more autonomy in their relationships, double sexual standards are still everywhere. My research with young college men has revealed a striking contradiction: many expect to be sexually active with their girlfriends but still want their future wives to be virgins. At the same time, on online forums such as LIHKG, women who are seen as sexually experienced are mocked and labelled with hurtful slurs. They call these women “smelly chicken” or “public toilet”. This semester, I had a group of students interview university women about pre-marital sex. Some still saw sex as something dangerous, something that could tarnish a woman’s reputation. Other studies show that young women often feel pressured to have sex to “save” a relationship, even if it is not what they truly want.

Of course, men face their own struggles with gender stereotypes, too. Boys who don’t fit the conventional mold of masculinity, those who are seen as “sissy” or not manly enough, can be bullied or ostracized. In some of Hong Kong’s top schools, there’s social pressure on male students to choose science, engineering, or medicine instead of humanities, which are seen as less “prestigious” for men.

So, yes, we have made progress. But I believe we still have a long way to go. The social landscape may look different now, but the old patterns linger just beneath the surface. If we really want to move forward, we need to keep questioning, keep reflecting, and keep pushing for a society where everyone can thrive, who is free from outdated expectations about what it means to be a woman or a man.

A5: That’s a really important distinction to make. What most schools offer is “sex education”, which typically zeroes in on the biology, covering topics like human reproduction, sexual health and contraception. But “sexuality education” is something much broader, and frankly, so much more meaningful. It goes beyond the biological facts to include the emotional, social, and ethical dimensions of sexuality. It is about understanding consent, learning to negotiate boundaries, and empowering both young women and men to exercise agency in their relationships, while being mindful of others’ needs and rights. Through true sexuality education, students gain the vocabulary and confidence to express what they want and don’t want in relationships, and to recognise that their feelings and boundaries matter.

You probably also notice that many schoolgirls in Hong Kong seem to be self-conscious about their changing bodies during puberty, so much so that you will see them bundled up in sweaters even on warm days. Some girls have even told me they face teasing from their peers if they don’t “cover up”, as if showing their bodies is something to be ashamed of, or worse, a reason to be singled out or criticised.

These experiences highlight just how complex issues of gender identity, body image, and sexuality are for young people, but unfortunately, these are precisely the kinds of topics that usually get overlooked in our classrooms. Sexuality education, if done well, can open space for honest conversation. It is not just about sex, but about self-worth, respect, and learning to navigate relationships in healthy and affirming ways. And that, to me, is a crucial step towards building a more inclusive and supportive society.

A6: It’s true that women have made significant inroads into some professional and managerial positions, especially since free education was introduced in 1971. Before that, it was common for daughters to give up their own schooling to support their brothers’ education or help provide for the family. Nowadays, women don’t have to set aside their dreams or ambitions for the sake of tradition, which is something that I am genuinely grateful for.

However, if we dig deeper, the picture is not as rosy as it seems. Even now, men still overwhelmingly occupy senior positions in fields like finance, business, law, and higher education. Just look at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s recent requirement: every listed company must have at least one woman on its board. Yet, right now, only around 20% of these companies have actually met that standard. And yes, we do see more female secondary school teachers than in the past, but men still dominate subjects like STEM.

It is also worth noting that, while most government jobs and public organisations do follow the principle of “equal pay for equal work”, the private sector tells a different story. Women working in private companies or in grassroots positions are still earning, on average, only about 80% of what men make for similar work.

These examples show that gender inequality still exists, though more subtly. Take the recent discussion about Hong Kong’s declining birth rate. Instead of looking for ways to create more supportive, family-friendly working environments and policies for parents, some critics regard the declining population as a “women’s question”. They suggest that “the solution” is for women to leave their jobs and focus on having children. That kind of thinking shows we still have a long road ahead.

A7: There is still much we can do to promote gender awareness. For example, a few years back, the #MeToo movement made headlines worldwide and revealed just how common, and often unreported, sexual harassment is, even in places where we assume people are more aware of gender issues, like the US. The movement sparked conversations in Hong Kong, too.

But what’s interesting is that #MeToo did not simply raise concerns about the experiences of women. It also opened up new discussions about the pressures and expectations that men face, like the idea that a “caring man” (暖男) should always shoulder certain responsibilities. Some of my former male students, for instance, told me they felt obligated to pay for the entire wedding banquet, even when their partners earned more than they did. They knew it didn’t really feel fair, but somehow, it was just “a man’s duty”.

Stories like these remind me that gender stereotypes can box everyone in, no matter who you are. So, yes, I think we should use movements like #MeToo to look honestly at the structural and cultural roots of sexual harassment. But I also believe we need to create space to question the old ideas about masculinity and femininity, so that everyone feels freer to define themselves and their relationships in healthier, more equal ways. That‘s how we can move closer to the kind of society I would love to see: one where respect, fairness, and understanding are at the heart of everything we do.

A8: When I first joined EdUHK in 2005, hardly any of my colleagues heard about gender studies. To promote its importance in teacher education, I started a little initiative called the “Gender Matters Group” (GMG). We gathered colleagues from all sorts of disciplines such as Chinese, English, home economics, mathematics and so forth. Dr Jackie Lee Fung-king, who is now a professor in Linguistics and Modern Language Studies, was one of the early members.

Back then, we met regularly and quite informally to discuss gender issues over coffee or lunch. We even organised study tours to South Korea and Taiwan, visiting universities and women’s centres to see firsthand how they were running gender research programmes and advocacy projects. Those exchanges were so inspiring. They really sparked new ideas about how gender awareness and inclusivity might be here, at a teacher education university.

We also hosted two conferences: the first one in 2010 was regional, and then in 2022, a bigger conference themed “International Conference on Gender and Education” with participants from different parts of the world. And with Professor Choi Po King from CUHK, we edited two books focused on gender and education.

These days, more colleagues know about gender studies, which is fantastic. But funnily enough, we don’t get together as much as we used to, maybe because everyone is busy with their own research focus. I do miss that old GMG time, though. Looking back, it really was a kind of incubation period for gender studies here, planting seeds that encouraged more faculty to incorporate gender issues into their teaching and research.

A9: I have had the privilege to teach several general education courses on gender, such as ‘Gender and Society’, ‘Understanding Sexual Violence’, and ‘Love, Intimacy and Families’. I always tried to invite guests from all walks of life to share their own gendered stories. There’s something powerful about real-life experiences; it gives students the chance to connect with perspectives they might never have encountered before. Judging by the feedback, students really appreciated those sessions.

One moment that stands out: a student who graduated nearly a decade ago wrote to me recently. He said my gender course had opened his eyes, helping him understand these issues in ways he had never considered before. He told me that if more young people in Hong Kong could experience this kind of open-minded, well-rounded gender education earlier, it might help them avoid some of the long-standing gender traps.

To me, education is a lifelong process. It shapes the way we think and who we become. Gender studies may seem abstract at first, but over time, students start to examine their own stereotypes, question their biases, and broaden their perspectives. That kind of reflection can really enrich a person’s life, and, I hope, help us build a more equal society. That’s what excites me about gender studies.