Guangxi University draws ire after asking women to dress modestly to avoid ‘temptation’ from male counterparts

A Chinese university thought it was protecting female students from sexual assault on campus when it warned them not to wear revealing clothes in a safety guide.

But Chinese social media didn’t see it that way.

The controversial advice, given by Guangxi University in the city of Nanning, was included in an article (in Chinese) published on the school’s website on August 1. As part of a safety education program designed for first-year students, the piece contained a total of 50 tips on how female students can protect themselves from danger during freshman year, as well as contact information for relevant school authorities overseeing campus security.

While most of the suggestions offered by the college were common sense — such as being vigilant during nighttime travels and avoiding scenarios where excessive drinking is encouraged — the advice on how female students should dress stood out to Chinese internet users.

“Don’t wear overly revealing tops or dresses. Stay away from clothes with plunging necklines. Don’t expose your waist or back. This is to avoid creating temptation,” the school wrote in a section of tips about outfits.

The immediate response to the advice was overwhelmingly negative, with many slamming the university for being “oppressive” and “sexist.” Some argued that women should act however they want, and that by placing female students’ outfits under special scrutiny, the school was perpetuating the unfair notion that it is women’s responsibility to avoid unwanted sexual advances from men by changing their day-to-day, law-abiding, outfit choices.

“Revealing clothes don’t rape women. Name the problem. Name what women really should be careful of,” a Weibo user wrote (in Chinese).

Many critics also raised questions about the lack of “education” for male students, saying that if the university wants a thorough and effective solution to the problem of sexual assault on campus, it should teach male students to be respectful of women and not treat them as sex objects. “Why blame women for men’s perverted thoughts? They need a guide on how to control themselves when female students are around,” a Weibo user commented (in Chinese).

But not everyone was against the university’s safety tips. Some defenders of the school argued that while “temptation” was a poor choice of word, the advice was coming from a place of care and concern. “It isn’t what people like to hear, but we live in an imperfect world after all. There is no harm telling young girls to take extra action for the sake of their own safety,” a Weibo user wrote (in Chinese).

In China, where women are traditionally expected to be conservative and reserved when it comes to sexuality and intimacy, women’s bodies and clothing choices are under constant scrutiny. In fact, Guangxi University was not the first Chinese school trying to regulate what female students wear and facing a backlash consequently. In 2018, Hunan Agricultural University reversed a decision to ban short skirts in its library and apologized to female students after receiving a flurry of complaints online.

Rigid dress codes for women have even been enforced in public spaces. In May, a woman in Hangzhou was denied entry at a subway station in the city after being told by a subway employee that her slip dress was “too revealing.” The decision provoked an intense backlash online after the woman shared her experience on social media.