Fighters or victims : study of the representation of female bodies in Hong Kong protests

Abstract

 The 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement symbolizes another wave of Hong Kong citizens protesting against government decisions under the banner of freedom and democracy. Among the many demonstrations and rallies of varying scales, protesters express their claims and appeals through protest materials, including posters, news photos, and statues. Many of the figures portrayed by the activists or captured by the cameras are women. This dissertation investigates the representation of female bodies in the 2019 Anti-Extradition Movement by studying the protest materials that depict women in the social movement. The dissertation examines protest posters featuring women as victims of police violence and excessive use of force during law enforcement. The public imposes their subjective intentions on the female body and exploits the bleeding body as an object to justify their claims. Activists also produce artwork, including imagery and statues that portray female protesters as fighters, indicating that the social movement has empowered women with more agency over their bodies. They transform themselves into the representation of the collective will and the universal pursuit of democracy and freedom. However, protesters do not appreciate all women’s roles in the movement. Female police officers receive online harassment and threats, targeting their bodies and femininity because of their different political positions. Finally, the 2019 Anti-ELAB Movement limits the participation of women who belong to the minority groups in Hong Kong, such as female migrant workers from South-east Asia and new immigrants from Mainland China. Society needs to take adequate measures to safeguard their interests and to help them fulfill their rights as Hong Kong citizens.