Wounded hearts: The affective making of misogynistic male victimhood under the familial sexual contract in precarious China

This research investigates the affective making of misogynistic male victimhood in China, focusing on how the “familial sexual contract” shapes contemporary gender relations. By analyzing three widely debated social media events that sparked intense discussions between 2 May and 10 May 2024, this study explores how male netizens perceive themselves as victims, labeling women as “Lao-nv” (捞女), or gold-diggers, who exploit financialized relationships. Adopting an affective-discursive approach, we examine how Chinese male netizens, particularly those who perceive themselves as economically precarious, construct their own victimhood while portraying women as betrayers of the “familial sexual contract.” By situating these affective-discursive practices within China's socio-historical context, and exploring the intersection of the “state familism” regime with the platformized visibility of gender issues, this article contributes to the understanding of the networked misogyny beyond Euro-American frameworks, while critically re-politicizing this trans-regional affective public mediated by narratives of “male victimhood.”