从她到她们: Feminist Perspectives on Language Reform in Simplified Chinese

This thesis explores feminist approaches to language reform in Simplified Chinese, critically examining how gender biases are embedded and perpetuated through linguistic structures. By focusing specifically on Chinese characters and words with gendered implications, particularly those containing the female radical "女 (female)," the research reveals the historical and cultural origins of linguistic sexism and its contemporary manifestations, such as semantic pejoration and gendered word ordering. Employing a transformative experience design (TED) framework, this study incorporates interactive methodologies including participatory workshops and a digital browser plug-in. In the workshop setting, participants explore possibilities for redefining words through storytelling, which serves as an effective form of amelioration. Participants directly gain inspiration and are encouraged to embrace the empowering idea that language can indeed be redefined. Concurrently, the digital plug-in highlights Chinese characters containing the "女 (female)" radical, along with gender-related phrases and expressions, enabling users to view and critically examine their current meanings and propose alternative definitions. This tool facilitates real-time identification and active community-driven reinterpretation of gender-biased terms, fostering broader societal awareness and continuous linguistic resistance. Together, these methods empower women by reclaiming linguistic agency and actively promoting gender-inclusive language. By combining semiotic analysis with user experience (UX) and participatory design methods, this research contributes to ongoing discussions on language as a critical site of feminist intervention, aiming ultimately to promote gender equality through systemic linguistic transformation.