After Gong Lijiao won China’s first gold medal in an Olympic field event on Sunday, a reporter for state news media asked about her “masculine” appearance and her life plans, setting off a heated debate about the restrictive discourse surrounding women.
Gong, a four-time Olympian, placed first in the women’s shot-put competition with a personal best of 20.58 meters (67.5 feet).
An interview that aired Sunday on the state-owned CCTV included a sports correspondent’s contentious observation: “Gong Lijiao gives me the impression of a masculine woman.”
The reporter, Lu You, then asked about Gong’s future plans: “You used to be a masculine woman for the sake of shot-put.