Stancetaking And The Hong Kong Girl In A Shifting Heterosexual Marketplace

Abstract

A penchant for luxury goods, insistence on a boyfriend who pays, and any opportunity to be the center of attention have all been described as characteristic of a ‘Kong Girl’ since the mid-2000s. In this article, we explore the social relevance of the popular stereotype by examining the role of stancetaking in online forum discussions. Focusing on a 2005 incident involving ‘Jenny’, who was later described as the ‘Kong Girl’ prototype, we show how forum participants try to come to terms with the sociohistorical changes in a late modern Hong Kong society by positioning Jenny and themselves within a shifting heterosexual marketplace. The heated controversy reflects changing gender ideologies that are exerting pressure on both men and women and provides the backdrop for the rise of the Kong Girl stereotype, which has its media prime in the years following 2005.