Chinese men model lingerie after censors stop women from doing so

Men have been modelling lingerie online in China after state censors pulled down livestreams of women doing so.

Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on the country’s internet via a complex, multi-layered censorship operation that blocks access to almost all foreign news and social media. It also blocks topics and keywords considered politically sensitive or obscene.

Therefore, several businesses who sell women's underwear through livestream channels have had their sessions cut short after they featured female models.

To evade censorship and continue promoting their lingerie, some companies have now enlisted the help of male models.

In one recording of a livestream on TikTok, a man is seen dressed in a lacy black bodysuit and a satin dressing gown. Conversely, the female model next to him is dressed in a more conservative set of pyjamas.

In another video, a different male model poses in a revealing white dress and matching gown.

Over the past few years, the livestream e-commerce industry has achieved a massive following in China.

It received a huge boost during the pandemic, when traditional shops were closed.

A 2021 report by iResearch, a Chinese market intelligence firm specialising in measuring audience growth online, predicted the livestream sector would be worth as much as $720 billion (£608 billion) this year.

Commercial Chinese livestreaming goes well beyond the American formula pioneered by the Home Shopping Network and QVC, which play infomercials around the clock, said Michael Norris, research and strategy manager at the marketing firm AgencyChina. In China, “there’s actually education about products and how to use them, and elements of entertainment wrapped up in the livestreaming,” he said. That plus instant sales makes livestreaming an excellent marketing tool, he added.