The Tripartite Collusion: A CDA of the Commodification of Feminism in Weibo’s SFL Discourse

Yujie Yan

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.KM27685

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

The Tripartite Collusion: A CDA of the Commodification of Feminism in Weibo’s SFL Discourse

Research Article

Open Access

The Tripartite Collusion: A CDA of the Commodification of Feminism in Weibo’s SFL Discourse

Yujie Yan ^1*

¹ The University of Nottingham Ningbo China

^*Corresponding author: yujiecookie125@163.com

Published on 14 October 2025

LNEP Vol.126

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-327-7

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-328-4

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Abstract

As 'Strong Female Lead’ (SFL) narratives gain mainstream popularity, related discussions have become a significant arena for gender studies. However, the underlying power dynamics shaping these conversations remain underexplored. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study investigates the nature of the discourse surrounding SFL dramas on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, and systematically analyzes 100 popular posts related to 'SFL dramas’ on it. The findings reveal that this discursive field is not a bottom-up, grassroots feminist practice but is predominantly led by commercialized key opinion leaders. A tripartite collusion of algorithms, capital, and fan culture politics profoundly shapes the construction of this discourse. The ultimate effect of this collusion is the 're-disciplining’ and commodification of the potentially subversive issue of women’s empowerment into a controllable and marketable product. This study highlights the critical role of platform technology in shaping contemporary gender discourse and offers a critical reflection on the commodification of feminist narratives in the social media era.

Keywords:

SFL Dramas, Weibo, CDA, Fandom Industry, Gendered Consumerism

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References

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References

[8]. Guocong, L. (2014). Female Identity Crisis under the Perspective of Consumerism: Examples of “Female Spies” in Spy War Series. Cross-Cultural Communication, 10(4), 172.

[10]. Hu, T., & Cai, J. (2024). Powerful or powerless? women’s power levels in contemporary Chinese films. Sage Open, 14(2). https: //doi.org/10.1177/21582440241253641

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Cite this article

Yan,Y. (2025). The Tripartite Collusion: A CDA of the Commodification of Feminism in Weibo’s SFL Discourse. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,126,24-32.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceeding of ICIHCS 2025 Symposium: Integration & Boundaries: Humanities/Arts, Technology and Communication

ISBN: 978-1-80590-327-7(Print) / 978-1-80590-328-4(Online)

Editor: Enrique Mallen

Conference website: https://2025.icihcs.org/Kunming.html

Conference date: 21 October 2025

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.126

ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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