2025/07/22 by Xinyao Yuan, Ruoyu Yang, Zheng Zhang · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Asian Culture and Media Studies #Gender, Feminism, and Media #Media, Gender, and Advertising
paper · doi:10.1177/13678779251358881
openalex publication_date 2025/07/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
The release of Barbie in China sparked a significant wave of feminist discourse, giving rise to a new community of feminist Barbie fans. To understand how these Chinese fans use Barbie—a symbol of Western culture—as a tool for feminist expression, this study examines their motivations, strategies, and the cultural tensions they navigate. Based on semi-structured interviews with 23 fans, the research reveals how they construct a collective identity through participatory practices, transforming Barbie into a symbol of empowerment that reflects Chinese sociocultural realities. By negotiating global feminist narratives within local contexts, these fans balance advocacy with the challenges of censorship and societal expectations. The findings underscore the role of participatory culture in fostering collective agency and adapting global ideas to local contexts, contributing to broader debates on the global-local dynamic in cultural production and social change.