The organisers of China’s biggest gaming exhibition have reversed a cleavage ban after they were mocked by netizens.
The China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference, also known as ChinaJoy, is one of Asia’s biggest digital entertainment conventions. Last year an estimated 250,000 people attended the event, which features an annual cosplay competition where participants dress up as their favourite characters.
Ahead of this year’s conference, due to take place in Shanghai from July 30 to August 2, images of documents outlining regulations and fines on how much flesh could be exposed by both men and women were leaked online.
The guidelines stated that women would not be allowed to display more than 2cm of cleavage whilst men would not be allowed to wear low-hanging trousers or wear just underwear. Anyone who does not observe the rules could face a RMB 5,000 fine (more than HK$6,000) and models or model agencies can also being blacklisted if they are caught flouting the rules.
However, the rules were soon revised by the organisers:
- Chests and bottoms need to by fully covered;
- No translucent or transparent fabrics;
- Clothes that expose someone’s midriff will not be allowed;
- Male models will not be allowed to go to the event topless or wear tight shorts;
- No “lewd or crazy performances” such as pole or cage dancing.
The organisers insisted that there was no rule on how much cleavage should be on display.
The original restrictions were mocked by netizens; some said the fine would only be a temporary solution whilst others asked if the organisers would have people on call at the exhibition to measure cleavages.
Others however were supportive of the move, one person posted on Weibo that the restrictions were long overdue and netizen questioned the need for scantily clad models in the first place, saying the companies taking part in the trade event were exhibiting their new video games and not the models holding them.
