In an era dominated by social media and the internet, our lives are constantly ruled by the internet. Whether it's during breaks, while waiting for the bus, or while walking, we unconsciously open entertainment apps on our phones and are deeply drawn to their content. It is undeniable that the prevalence of entertainment content on social media brings a sense of relaxation and pleasure to our busy lives. However, have you ever thought about how the seemingly harmless content that immerses you is silently influencing your values?

The relationship between online novels and gender equality illustrates this phenomenon well. In recent years, "novel culture" has become very popular in China, especially in romance novels. These novels mainly revolve around romantic relationships between men and women. They cover various settings such as campus life, and urban workplaces, and are set in both modern and ancient times, attracting many young women. I often get lost in the delicate writing of the authors and unconsciously continue reading after finishing one chapter, enjoying a moment of relaxation and joy. Looking at it this way, reading such novels as a form of leisure entertainment seems to have no negative impact on us. But is that the case? We should not be deceived by the dramatic plots and delicate language of romance novels. Some of the concepts conveyed in romance novels with certain settings or plots are detrimental to the advancement of gender equality. Among them, the most representative and popular types of articles can be summarized as "CEO Falls in Love with Me" and "Ugly Duckling Turns into Swan".

The popularity of CEO-themed and "rags-to-riches" novels has inadvertently implanted the idea that "men have a higher status than women, and women need to rely on men to succeed" in the minds of women. These types of novels usually feature a "strong man, weak woman" dynamic, portraying stories where a low-born or mediocre woman coincidentally meets a man with high social status and wealth, and as they fall in love, the woman's status and position undergo a significant rise, transforming into a well-off wife. In these storylines, it is not difficult to see that the "success" achieved by women in the story is largely dependent on men. For example, in recent workplace CEO-themed novels that have received much attention, the male lead is often the CEO of a leading company in the industry, while the female lead is a small employee in the company. Through her intimate relationship with the male lead, the female lead becomes very successful in the workplace and no longer has to worry about her livelihood, living a happy life with the male lead. When browsing social media, we will undoubtedly come across such storylines. When we read them, besides experiencing temporary pleasure, the idea that women can only succeed with the support of men is implanted in our minds. As we accumulate more and more exposure to these articles, the notion that "women cannot do without men" or "every woman's success must depend on men" becomes a gender stereotype about women, especially successful women. Shouldn't we consider why popular novels on the internet are not about dominant female CEOs and obedient male employees?

In addition to these types of articles, some typical plotlines are favored by netizens and distort young people's views on gender relations and status. This includes "yandere novels" and "sugar daddy novels." In these two types of articles, men are portrayed as absolute rulers over women, oppressing and controlling their words, actions, and thoughts through their physical, financial, and power advantages. For example, in "Yandere novels," the male lead may lock women in a small dark room, restrain them with iron chains, and subject them to cruel abuse, physically tormenting women. In "sugar daddy novels," the male lead controls women through financial relationships, forcing them to obey his commands, give up their dreams and careers, and submit to him, spreading the idea of "men in charge, women at home," mentally tormenting women. Both of these narratives restrict women's basic rights as human beings. However, in these articles, the women controlled by men do not resist, they silently accept these "abuses" in exchange for their lives or the safety of their families. When we immerse ourselves in these articles for a long time, our views on marriage and relationships have already been distorted. Female readers may think that finding a wealthy and powerful man is the best and only way for them to succeed. The "halo" and status of men in their minds will be greatly amplified, making them forget that women can also be successful individuals.

Furthermore, reading a large amount of these articles reinforces our stereotypical impressions of gender, which is not conducive to breaking the current gender binary. Female characters in romance novels often share common traits such as obedience, gentleness, virtuousness, sweetness, tranquility, and empathy. These character traits have become "gender labels" for a qualified woman who is liked by men through the dissemination of novels. To achieve the same success as the female protagonists in the novels, female readers may try to imitate the image and character traits of the protagonists in real life, attempting to win the favor of men. Moreover, they may envision themselves as the protagonists in the novels, fantasizing that one day a "prince charming" will come to rescue them. Especially for some immature young girls, reading a large amount of these articles can lead to abnormal views on relationships, believing in the idea of "male superiority, female subordination" and "men in charge, women at home." This is extremely detrimental to the advancement of gender equality. Similarly, the prevalence of romance novels has expanded its audience beyond just women, and more and more men are paying attention to this content. When they see comments from female readers under the novels saying "I like the male lead! He's so domineering!" they subconsciously believe that women are attracted to dominant, obsessive, cold, and dictatorial men, which becomes a "gender label" for men. As a result, they may attempt to imitate the male protagonists outlined in the novels, and may even resort to oppressing women to seek their approval. When we can define the two genders using a set of almost opposite adjectives, "gender binary" is born. However, the characteristics associated with gender should not be monotonous. Women can also choose to be tough and cold, and men can choose to be gentle and adorable. Only by breaking free from stereotypical impressions of gender can we have a chance to break down the invisible barriers between men and women and move closer to gender equality.

Realizing the existing problems in society is only the first step, identifying the issues is the second step, and most importantly, we need to solve these problems. Romance novels as a way to relax the mind and body are indeed a good choice, but after realizing the underlying problems, I hope everyone can read these articles with a critical mindset and perspective. Do not blindly approve, imitate, and immerse oneself in the scenes depicted, which can lead to losing oneself and distorting one's ideas about marriage and gender relationships. On the contrary, we should use these novels to construct a more sober worldview.

The emergence of romance novels should be an opportunity for us to become more clear-minded, not the beginning of condescension.