This research discusses a subtle yet potent backlash against progressive familial gender roles in contemporary Hong Kong, manifesting as narrative empathy for male violence. While academia and society recognize the failure of the traditional "breadwinner-caregiver" dichotomy, this study focuses on the reactionary response to such recognition. It argues that the shift toward gender equality has triggered a narrative strategy that repackages male dominance not through traditional authority, but through the rhetoric of dual victimization.

Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study conducted a quota-sampled survey (n = 400) with randomization design across diverse sectors and age-groups. Findings reveal a significant shift: men now perceive higher levels of pressure in both financial support and domestic caretaking than women. Crucially, while results show that women tend to externalize systemic pressures, men lack such psychological ventilation, internalizing frustrations from failures in both spheres.

Complementing these findings, textual analysis of Hong Kong social realist films identifies a recurring pattern where male aggression is depicted through an empathetic lens. This study views such "empathetic violence" as a double-edged sword: while humanizing the male struggle under structural oppression, it simultaneously functions as sub-conscious resistance to progressive movements. By framing aggression as an inevitable byproduct of the male "double burden" without addressing structural patriarchy, these cultural discourses blur the line between explanation and justification for male violence. Ultimately, this research highlights how internalizing dual pressures creates a narrative justification that sustains patriarchal logic through a collective psychological defense against shifting gender paradigms.

Authors:
Ho Man Tang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Summer Kwong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Alex Ho Man TANG is a Lecturer at the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests converge at the intersection of new media, cultural identities and practices, and political communication.

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