Reconciling Femininities and Female Masculinities: Women’s Premarital Experiences of Breast-Binding in the Maoist Era

Abstract

The scholarly literature portrays Mao’s China as a font of gender-neutral ideals and masculine heroines, such as the “iron girl.” Although there have been few studies on breast-binding in the Maoist era, there is ample evidence it was practiced by many women. This article questions whether “defeminization,” “gender erasure,” or “gender-neutral” interpretations sufficiently explain the practice of breast-binding and women’s bodily experiences in Mao-era China. Through the analysis of in-depth interviews, periodical articles, and memoirs, this article finds that the gender-neutral framework often oversimplifies and homogenizes women’s diverse experiences. It instead argues that during the Mao era women’s bodily experiences were multifaceted and can only be understood through the reconciliation of the contradictory concepts of “femininities” and “female masculinities.” By exploring women’s silent practice of breast-binding in Mao’s China, this article yields new insight into the study of women and gender.