A 25-year-old man in China who was sterilised to protect the health of his wife has faced cruel online taunts by people comparing him to a eunuch.
Following the abuse, the man, surnamed Liu, from Shanghai, has been given much support online and his plight has sparked a fresh debate about gender bias on mainland social media.
Liu and his wife, who is a kindergarten teacher, have a one-year-old son, and having decided not to expand their family, Liu opted for sterilisation and took to Douyin to share his experience in a series of videos.
“Although it’s only the first week after the surgery, I can’t engage in vigorous exercise. However, I can do normal housework,” said Liu.
“In the second week I started running and jumping as usual,” he added.
He also said that the surgery had no lasting adverse impact on his body and that he could lift heavy objects, stand for extended periods and didn’t experience any back pain or abdominal discomfort.
A month after the surgery, he resumed running three times a week, preparing for the upcoming marathon season.
Liu told Jiupai News: “My narration is objective and rational, and I am not encouraging anyone to undergo this surgery. I hope everyone can consider sterilisation after a thorough understanding and preparation.”
Despite his educational and informative intent, his videos were shared and re-uploaded by others with insulting titles, and some comments even mocked him as a “eunuch”.
One person said: “He is no different from a eunuch; the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1912) has already fallen!”
“Eunuchs are known for their femininity, and with reduced male hormone secretion, their appearance naturally improves, and they don’t even lose their hair!” said another in an attempt at humour.
Liu said that he and his wife had anticipated such reactions but chose not to dwell on them.
Historically, during more than three decades of the national “one-child policy”, it was routine for women to use intrauterine devices, or IUDs, as a long-term birth control measure, which, over time, led to various health complications.
In respect of this, Liu’s story has also won him significant praise and fuelled online discussions about shared responsibility for contraception.
One person commented, “He is a very brave man. This is much better than other men who risk their partner’s health with the possibility of an unexpected pregnancy.”
“What era is this? Do some people still think contraception is only a woman’s responsibility? Moreover, sterilisation is not castration and it can be reversed. Do these people have any common sense?” said another.
A medical professional added her perspective, saying: “Why did they insult him? This neither affects his sexual nor fertility capability.
“The male sterilisation site is very superficial and the incision is small. You can leave the hospital right away and go back to work immediately,” the medical professional said.
“However, for women using an IUD, it can result in displacement, uterine perforation and inflammation over 10 or 20 years. It poses significant hidden dangers.
“We can only say that society is progressing, but there is still much room for improvement,” she said.