Fan Yusu Highlights Plight of Domestic Workers
In late April, Fan Yusu, a forty-four-year-old female migrant worker from Hubei province, was propelled to literary stardom when her essay entitled ‘I am Fan Yusu’ went viral. Fan’s writing recounted a life marked by patriarchy, domestic abuse, and raising children singlehandedly. She detailed her feelings of isolation, and the challenges she faced living as a domestic migrant worker in Beijing. Fan also reflected on her experiences of exploitation at the hands of employers, and the unequal treatment she had faced as a migrant due to government policies, stressing the need for solidarity between marginalised and exploited people. In the wake of her success, Fan was offered book deals and media appearances, but she shunned the spotlight, reportedly leaving Beijing and going into hiding until the unwanted attention subsided. NL
