Cometh the hour, cometh the women

In 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women took place in Beijing, bringing together over 15,000 female representatives from around the world, alongside delegates from a number of NGOs.

To this day, it remains the largest and most attended event in the history of the United Nations.

Back then, in alignment with the principles of gender equality emphasized during the conference, and in reference to the slogan in China that "women hold up half of the sky", a television program titled Half the Sky, dedicated to women's issues, began airing on CCTV.

The show covered various subjects, including sexual harassment, extramarital affairs, domestic violence, the rights of unmarried mothers and the breaking down of gender stereotypes. Remarkably, these themes remain pertinent, even today.

Zhang Yue, the show's host, displayed empathy, coupled with a sharp questioning style and witty humor.

She explored the topic of women's prisons, engaging with those who had committed crimes in defiance of domestic violence. She also ventured to a remote village to interview a woman named Liu Xiaoyang, who, when expressing a strong desire for greater knowledge of the outside world and richer intellectual pursuits, passionately declared, "I would rather endure the pain (of being discontent with my circumstances). I don't want to become numb".

This award-winning TV program used its platform to reveal the challenges women faced, and to show the diversity of the female experience in China. It also effectively amplified the voices of ordinary people.

The pioneering program aired for over a decade until 2010.

Thirteen years later, Zhang, who retired from the China Media Group last year, participated in the planning of a new women-focused program titled First Person Plural.

The purview of the show, which began airing last month on the streaming platform Youku, is to explore issues facing today's women, as well as wider interests and subjects that resonate with them. It also seeks to broaden viewers' understanding of the world through female perspectives and discussion.

In the late 1990s, Ren Changzhen, the new talk show's director, was an intern on the production team of Half the Sky, where she became friends with Zhang.

Ren studied documentary film-making in university, and has directed films, television shows and documentaries. Notably, she served as the chief executive director for the first season of the hit documentary series A Bite of China.

When Ren decided to start a talk show, her immediate thought was to reach out to Zhang.

Zhou Yijun, who has a background as a former war correspondent and documentary director, is the new hour-long show's host.

When explaining the show's name, First Person Plural, Zhou offers her interpretation, saying, "Our societal discussions constitute a collective plural, but each person's expression is in the first person — it's personal".

During preparations, Zhang, Ren and Zhou initiated a brainstorming session to come up with possible topics for the talk show.

"Initially, we tried following the typical approach of selecting topics associated with women's issues. This included things like balancing career and family, managing in-law relationships, and addressing more intimate topics. However, everyone in the room expressed disinterest in these topics," recounts Zhang.

Subsequently, they decided to open up the conversation, discarding all preconceived notions and frameworks.

Instead, they started to discuss their individual interests.

The discussion quickly became animated, with some expressing enthusiasm for drama, others for literature, some for artificial intelligence, and others for archaeology.

"Eventually, we unanimously decided that regardless of whether the topic was traditionally considered a women's issue or not, we would find intriguing individuals in various fields and discuss fascinating things together," says Zhang.

Ultimately, they settled on a diverse range of topics, including the growth patterns of plants, animal behavior, film and television and technological advancements.

In selecting guests, Ren leans toward what she describes as "naturally charming individuals".

"We don't require that everything a guest says has to be correct. The primary consideration is that their words come from the heart and feel relatable," she explains.

The show has featured guests such as Chen Bi, an associate professor at China University of Political Science and Law, author Mao Jian, Wang Dake, a researcher specializing in the sexual behavior of animals, and stand-up comedian Xiao Lu.

They speak extensively on the program, unconstrained by conventional norms. This approach has earned the show an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10 points on the review site Douban.

"The program goes beyond traditional stereotypes of women's issues, exploring diverse topics such as humanity, the universe, flora and fauna, technological progress, human civilization and art. Women are depicted as complex, multifaceted and open-minded, with their intellectual insights and life experiences expanding into diverse realms. The articulate guests contribute to engaging and enriching discussions," comments a viewer.

The first episode of the program focused on sexual harassment and featured talkative guests with diverse backgrounds.

Hou Zhiming, who pioneered the first women's psychological counseling hotline on the Chinese mainland in 1992, offered extensive firsthand knowledge of the subject.

Chen offered insights into the process of gathering evidence, while joining them was lawyer Lyu Xiaoquan, known for his legal expertise and experience in representing clients in such cases.

"Having these three individuals come together to discuss this matter presented a comprehensive and well-supported perspective," says Zhou.

During their conversation, the subjects of exhibitionism, sexual innuendo, explicit jokes, patriarchy and feminism were discussed. The guests also offered legal insights and practical suggestions for addressing sexual harassment.

"Female guests are more fearless in their statements. You can observe in their comments and expressions how straightforward and unfiltered they can be. With the increased presence of female guests, there's a more open atmosphere where everyone feels empowered to speak up," says Zhou.