A viral video showing a Chinese influencer dressed as a woman walking through a street market believed to be in Nigeria has sparked global debate about street harassment and gender-based violence.
The roughly one-minute video appears to show a Chinese male influencer dressed in women’s clothing navigating a busy street market believed to be in Nigeria. Wearing a pink floral blouse, a curly wig, glasses, and light makeup, the influencer records himself walking along a dusty roadside lined with trucks, small stalls, and pedestrians.
The scene begins relatively calmly before quickly escalating into repeated verbal advances from groups of men.
In the opening seconds, a man off camera calls out “Beautiful woman,” prompting the influencer to turn briefly toward the camera with a nervous smile. As he continues walking, another man approaches and asks if he is “ready” for him while also asking whether he is from China.
The influencer responds repeatedly with “No, no,” while attempting to move away.
Within seconds, additional men gather around him. Some stare closely, while others laugh, point, or continue making comments such as “I like you,” “You are beautiful,” and “I need you.”
At one point, a man holding what appears to be a stick or tool leans closer and says, “Let me see,” according to subtitles overlaid in Chinese and English. The influencer gestures for them to stop and continues backing away.
The crowd eventually grows to three or four men following him along the road.
Although no physical assault occurs, the influencer appears visibly uncomfortable as the men persist with comments like “We are real men” and “I love you.” One briefly reaches toward his arm before he pulls away and increases his pace.
The video ends with the influencer managing to walk away from the group and leaving the area.
The clip quickly triggered polarized reactions online. Some viewers said the experiment highlights the kind of harassment many women experience daily in public spaces, arguing that it helps build empathy among men. Others criticized the video for portraying a single incident as representative of an entire region, warning that such framing can reinforce stereotypes about Africa.
Similar “social experiments” have been conducted in cities across the United States and Europe, where content creators documented catcalling and unwanted advances toward women in public spaces. Advocates say these incidents demonstrate that street harassment is a widespread global issue rather than one confined to a specific country or culture.
The viral clip has since fueled broader conversations about misogyny, public safety, and the role of social media experiments in raising awareness about everyday harassment faced by women worldwide.
