Reversing the Gaze: Gendered Parody, Affective Politics, and the “Greasy Man” on Douyin

This article explores a series of parody videos on Douyin that satirize the “greasy man” (油腻男), a gendered figure embodying performative masculinity and everyday misogyny in Chinese digital culture. Primarily produced by young women, these videos employ audiovisual mimicry and exaggerated affect to stage a gendered counter-performance. Drawing on affect theory, gender performativity, and gaze theory, the study employs digital ethnography and critical visual analysis to examine how these parodies reproduce and disrupt dominant masculine norms. Analysis of audience engagement through comment sections reveals the emergence of affective publics that negotiate humor, critique, and resistance. The findings highlight how parody on Douyin functions as a memetic and oppositional practice, challenging hegemonic masculinity and contributing to broader discussions of digital activism, platform feminism, and the politics of the gaze. This study advances understanding of how affect and humor intersect in social media spaces to articulate gendered critiques and collective affective mobilization.