In China, women delivery riders grapple with ‘sex work’ label, other stereotypes

Life isn’t easy for the approximately 1 million women working as takeaway delivery riders in China. Though their numbers appear to be rising as delivering food is convenient for fitting around childcare or retraining for new careers, these women have to live with gender pay gaps and various other inequities.

These include juggling the workload with their families, sexual harassment and even violence, which might explain why they tend not to stay in the industry as long as men.

A group of social media influencers greatly increased the pressure on female riders last November by posting a series of memes that falsely eroticised them. Various videos and photos showed fake riders wearing the distinctive black and yellow uniforms used by leading delivery app Meituan, but modified with stockings, short skirts and high heels.

They were also shown with food menus containing much higher prices than usual, implying that women who deliver food to people’s houses are also available as sex workers.

This content spread rapidly on Chinese social media, attracting widespread attention. It’s all a world away from the realities of being a female takeaway rider, and has caused a major row that has highlighted wider challenges for women working in China and elsewhere.

Female riders and sexual connotations

China is easily the biggest market for...

Read more