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The Guardian World1 min read
Smokers in China are being chided by anti-smoking women
TL;DR
In China, anti-smoking activist Hilda Wang confronts male smokers, highlighting the gender divide in smoking habits. Despite public smoking bans, the prevalence of smoking remains high, particularly among men.
Key points
- Hilda Wang confronts smokers in China
- Public smoking bans exist in several cities
- 45% of males and 2% of females smoke tobacco
Despite public smoking bans in a number of Chinese cities, smoking is still a big thing — mainly among men. Johannes Eisele/AFP/via Getty Images
Johannes Eisele/AFP/via Getty Images
Hilda Wang scolds smokers and posts videos of the encounters. She says she's a natural introvert –- but she gets so upset about smoking that her personality has changed. In a widely shared clip, she's lecturing a man with a cigarette in hand. He says she has no right to put him on video. She tells the man he's an embarrassment, and he walks away.
Wang comes into contact with a lot of smokers. She lives in China, a hard-smoking nation, and smoking habits tend to fall along a gender divide. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, about 45% of males and 2% of females above the age of 15 smoke tobacco.
In Shenzhen, a densely-packed city of almost 20 million residents just north of Hong Kong, Wang is one of many women who have been confronting men smoking in public areas. Sometimes the confrontations end up on social media.
"I hate bros," says Hilda's friend Luno Wang, who also scolds men she sees smoking. She says "bros" are lower IQ and less civilized, and don't respect others. She says she's asked men: "Is your cigarette a good thing for you to suck?"
Q&A
What percentage of men and women smoke in China?
About 45% of males and 2% of females above the age of 15 smoke tobacco in China.
Who is Hilda Wang and what does she do?
Hilda Wang is an anti-smoking activist in China who scolds smokers and shares videos of her confrontations online.
What are the smoking regulations in Chinese cities?
Many Chinese cities have implemented public smoking bans, but smoking remains prevalent, especially among men.
