Gender Differences in Questioning Behavior in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, China

Chulan Zhang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2026.HT29913

Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public MediaOpen access

Gender Differences in Questioning Behavior in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, China

Research Article

Open Access

Gender Differences in Questioning Behavior in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, China

Chulan Zhang ^1*

¹ University of Pennsylvania

^*Corresponding author: chulan@upenn.edu

Published on 26 November 2025

LNEP Vol.122

ISSN (Print): 2753-7056

ISSN (Online): 2753-7048

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-553-0

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-554-7

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Abstract

This paper investigates gender differences in questioning behavior within the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, China. Drawing from parliamentary transcripts, it analyzes how male and female legislators engage in scrutiny and representation. Based on an original dataset of 5,402 questions from 2016 to 2025, this study examines whether female legislators differ from male legislators in question format, policy focus, attention to women’s issues, and breadth of topics. This research employ a mixed-method approach that integrates a Chinese large language model (LLM) with machine learning to classify question content by policy domain, framing, and gender-related topics, combined with statistical modeling to test gender effects. The results show that female LegCo members are more inclined to raise questions orally on the legislative floor and disproportionately focus on social and community welfare issues, whereas male members prioritize finance, economy, and infrastructure. Female legislators are also more than twice as likely to bring up issues of gender equality and women’s rights. Moreover, women’s questions span a broader range of policy areas, countering the stereotype of female legislators being confined to “women’s issues.” At the same time, women’s questioning style (e.g. professionalism, directness) is largely equivalent to that of their male colleagues. These findings provide evidence of substantive impacts of female representation even in Hong Kong, China’s semi-authoritarian legislature, and suggest strategies to support and amplify women’s legislative voice.

Keywords:

gender differences, legislative behavior, parliamentary questions, women’s representation, Hong Kong Legislative Council

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References

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[7]. Tam, W. (2020). Parliamentary questions and women’s substantive representation in authoritarian legislatures: Evidence from Singapore. Journal of Legislative Studies, 26(2), 249–268.*

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References

[1]. Congressional Research Service. (2024, December 10). Statistics on women in national governments around the world (CRS Report No. R45483). Congress.gov.

[2]. Mansbridge, J. (1999). Should blacks represent blacks and women represent women? A contingent “yes.” Journal of Politics, 61(3), 628–657.*

[5]. Tam, W. (2018). Women representing women? Evidence from Hong Kong, China’s semi-democratic legislature. Representation, 53(1), 1–18.*

[6]. Phillips, A. (1995). The politics of presence. Oxford University Press.

[7]. Tam, W. (2020). Parliamentary questions and women’s substantive representation in authoritarian legislatures: Evidence from Singapore. Journal of Legislative Studies, 26(2), 249–268.*

[8]. Childs, S., & Krook, M. L. (2009). Analysing women’s substantive representation: From critical mass to critical actors. Government and Opposition, 44(2), 125–145

Cite this article

Zhang,C. (2025). Gender Differences in Questioning Behavior in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, China. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,122,44-53.

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 ICSPHS 2026 Symposium: Critical Perspectives on Global Education and Psychological Development

ISBN: 978-1-80590-553-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-554-7(Online)

Editor: Nafhesa Ali, Enrique Mallen

Conference website: https://www.icsphs.org/Huntsville.html

Conference date: 15 January 2026

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.122

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

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