Has China’s push to ban ‘effeminate’ and ‘sissy’ men claimed its first victim? The tragic case of Zhou Peng
- The 26-year-old stunned family, friends and social media with a 5,000-word note before taking his own life by jumping into the sea
- Experts are warning it could be a sign of things to come as Beijing reinforces outdated stereotypes of masculinity
When he died, Zhou Peng, a bona fide social media celebrity, left an apparent suicide note more than 5,000 words long on his Weibo account before apparently jumping into the sea in Zhejiang province in eastern China.
“This will be the last time I introduce myself…,” he opened, before describing himself as being a “left behind” good boy with good manners. He described the bullying he endured at school due to his physical appearance and referred to “verbal abuse, marginalisation and threats”.
“Boys are supposed to be naughty, fight, and swear, and boys who are too quiet and polite are effeminate,” he wrote. “I was called ‘sissy’ at school. I might have appeared somewhat like a girl when I was younger, but I dressed ‘normally’ and didn’t attempt to imitate girls.”
Despite the lengthy catalogue of abuse and bullying he described, Zhou said: “My death has nothing to do with anyone.”
