China’s authoritarian government on Wednesday banned men it considers effeminate from appearing on state television as it tightens control of the nation’s culture.
The edict is part of President Xi Jinping’s “national rejuvenation,” which demands that businesses, schools, culture and religion adhere to the Communist Party’s vision of a more powerful China.
According to the guidelines, broadcasters must “end the resolution of sissy men and other abnormal aesthetics,” authorities said, using an offensive slang term that literally means “guns for girls.”
Officials are worried that Chinese pop stars and their fans will emulate skinny, androgynous singers and actors from South Korea and Japan, and young people in the country are not encouraged to be masculine enough.
Communists have tried to minimize the cult of celebrities by requiring broadcasters to avoid promoting “vulgar celebrities on the Internet” and wealth. Instead, the shows should “vigorously promote an excellent traditional Chinese culture, a revolutionary culture, and an advanced socialist culture.”
Under the new rules, children and teenagers will only be able to play online games three hours a week and never on school days. Game developers only had to launch games with pro-China themes.
When the state repressed the influence of celebrities, the works of popular actress Zhao Wei disappeared from the broadcast platforms overnight, as another actress, Zheng Shuang, was fined $ 46 million for charges. of tax evasion.
With AP cables