The Feminist Five

The Feminist Five is a group of five Chinese feminists who were arrested in Beijing on March 6, 2015, for planning a protest against sexual harassment on public transportation. The quintet is composed of Li Maizi (birth name Li Tingting), Wu Rongrong, Zheng Churan, Wei Tingting and Wang Man.

The five women were detained for 37 days after planning to hand out sexual harassment stickers on the subway ahead of International Women's Day (March 8) and became known following their arrest. Their arrest sparked outrage both internationally and domestically, leading to protests in support of the five women in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Hong Kong, India, Poland and Australia. There were likely protests within China, but those were subject to censorship and crackdowns. The Feminist Five were released on bail on April 13, 2015, due to the backlash following their detention.

The incident became part of Chinese feminist history and the Feminist Five are still criminalized and under state surveillance after their release. While their detention sparked outrage and encouraged young women to speak up and also take part in feminist activism, it was hard to engage in feminist activism without funding. Their actions are still recognized, particularly during the MeToo movement in China.