A global voice for International Women's Day: Noticing subtle gender patterns from Beijing to the Pankhurst statue

By Evan Huang, University of Manchester, SALC

A gradual discovery of Manchester’s feminist soul

When I first arrived in Manchester from China to begin my master’s degree, my mind was filled with the typical concerns of any international student: navigating a new city, adjusting to a different academic system, and settling into a new home. I didn’t come here with the specific intention of studying feminism, nor did the city’s activist roots immediately jump out at me. Manchester is a bustling, modern hub, and its history of struggle often sits quietly beneath the surface of everyday life.

My awareness of the city’s unique gender perspective didn't happen all at once; it was a gradual realisation built through small, unexpected moments. It began during a routine library tutorial in my first week. As the tutor – a friendly female teacher – guided us through the digital archives, she casually wove the history of local women’s suffrage into our induction, mentioning that we were studying in the very city where the movement was born. She spoke about the Pankhurst statue in St Peter’s Square – unveiled only recently in 2018 – noting it was the first statue of a woman to be erected in Manchester since Queen Victoria.

Discovering the Pankhurst statue and its powerful motto, 'Deeds, not words,' alongside the 'Women in WWII' exhibition, was a revelation. These encounters shifted my lens, making me wonder how the subtle patterns of gender inequality still persist in our daily lives as students in a city that so visibly honours its past struggles.

Visible equality vs. lived experience

As I settled into my academic life, I began to notice that while the "rules" of the classroom were perfectly equal, the "reality" of participation often told a different story. In our seminars, every student has an equal right to speak, yet the space is frequently dominated by those comfortable with specific Western communication norms – assertiveness, rapid-fire responses, and a high tolerance for interruption.

Coming from a Chinese background, where educational culture often emphasises deep listening, reflection, and a more communal approach to discussion, I found this "confidence-driven" environment striking. It wasn't that I was being explicitly excluded; it was that the social "reward" seemed to go to those who could claim space most aggressively.

I remember a specific instance during a creative production module where our entire class had to collaborate on a single During a group project, I noticed a stark cultural divide: while Western peers volunteered to lead instantly, my Chinese classmates remained silent until a male student finally stepped forward.

This is not to say that Chinese women fear leadership. On the contrary, many of my peers felt their strengths were better utilised in specialised roles like programming or marketing rather than the visible position of "leader." However, it illustrates a subtle pattern: in a classroom that is theoretically equal, exposure is not distributed evenly. It is dictated by personality types that are themselves products of our distinct social and cultural conditioning.

Carrying this awareness, I began "mingling" with other international students and realised I wasn't alone in this observation. Whether from East Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East, many of us felt we were performing a constant internal translation – not just of language, but of personality. We were navigating a subtle hierarchy where "confidence" is often mistaken for "competence." For women, this is compounded by cultural expectations to avoid 'showing off,' making the barrier to speaking out even higher. I realised that the absence of a "No Women/No Internationals" sign doesn't mean the playing field is level. It simply means the barriers have become invisible, woven into the very way we are expected to speak and carry ourselves.

From observer to participant: The 16 Days of Activism

Becoming aware of these subtle patterns left me with a choice: I could remain a quiet observer of these dynamics, or I could seek a deeper understanding of why they persist. This growing desire to move beyond silent observation and actually engage with these issues is what led me to the next step of my journey in Manchester.

When the opportunity arose to select a professional organisation for my university work placement project, I was presented with a list of over a hundred different institutions. I knew immediately where I wanted to be; I placed GM4Women2028 at the very top of my list. I felt a genuine sense of honour when I was selected to join them, as I saw it as a rare chance to move from simply noticing inequalities to investigating the structural reasons behind them. I wanted to see, quite practically, what I could do to contribute to a change.

This commitment led me to collaborate with my peer, Emily Bevan – a talented undergraduate student at MetFilm School in Manchester – on a campaign film for the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence". You can watch our film, which highlights the structural reasons behind these inequalities, on YouTube.

In the pre-production stages, I worked out the interview outlines and brainstormed the project's framework with Emily. Working alongside Emily was an incredibly inspiring experience; she is a deeply talented individual whose creativity brought our shared vision to life. Our partnership was a testament to the power of female collaboration, proving how much can be achieved when women support and empower one another's ideas.

The most powerful moment of this placement occurred on December 6th, during our on-site rally at St Peter’s Square. As I stood in the shadow of the Pankhurst statue, I realised the historical weight of the ground I was standing on. This statue was unveiled in 2018 – the same year GM4Women2028 was founded with its ten-year mission to transform Manchester by 2028.

Distributing flyers and conducting interviews in the square, I felt a shift in my own identity. For a Chinese international student, this was no longer just an academic exercise; it was an act of belonging. For the first time, I wasn't just a Chinese student studying in Manchester; I was a stakeholder in its future. I was standing where the suffrage movement began, contributing my own "deeds" to ensure that the subtle barriers I had noticed in my first weeks would not remain invisible for the next generation of international students, or indeed, to a much wider audience.

From presence to change: The path toward 2028

Standing in St Peter’s Square was more than just a moment of participation; it was a realisation of what "progress" actually looks like in practice. It showed me that the journey toward 2028 isn't just about reaching a final destination of equality, but about the collective energy of showing up and making space for new voices. By contributing my own "deeds" alongside Emily and the GM4Women2028 team, I saw how individual actions bridge the gap between historical legacy and future change.

This experience has expanded my view of what it means to be an international student in Manchester. I’ve realised that my "outsider" perspective is actually a tool. Because I am navigating these spaces for the first time, I don't yet take the "normal" for granted. I can see the subtle ways that confidence is distributed or how social expectations vary across cultures. This isn't about pointing out flaws, but about understanding that the path to 2028 is paved with these small, everyday recognitions. The "deeds" we performed in the square – the interviews, the flyers, the shared presence – are the very things that turn a 10-year agenda into a lived reality.

Participating in progress: Joining the ongoing story of Manchester

As International Women’s Day 2026 approaches, I reflect on how much my understanding of "progress" has evolved since that first library tutorial. I arrived in Manchester expecting to focus solely on my professional postgraduate studies, but through my work with GM4Women2028, I found myself becoming a small but active part of the city’s ongoing story.

Whether it is navigating the subtle dynamics of a seminar or standing in solidarity at St Peter’s Square, I have learned that equality is not a destination we reach – it is a conversation we must constantly maintain. My journey from a curious international student to a stakeholder in Manchester’s 2028 vision is a reminder that everyone’s perspective is needed to see the full picture. On this International Women's Day, I am proud to share my "outsider" lens, hoping it encourages others to notice the subtle patterns in their own lives – because once we see them, we can begin to change them.