China lawyer who grumbles ‘can’t survive on a salary’ accused over sexy dance live-stream sideline making US$2,800 a month
- Woman passes difficult bar exam, lawyer salary leaves little money after rent
- Earns more with sexy dance sideline not considered to be porn
A lawyer in China has come under fire for performing sexy dances in live-streaming videos, portraying an image viewed as inconsistent with her profession.
The 25-year-old woman, who is based in Shanghai, attracted attention on the mainland for a comment she made on social media during a discussion about lawyers’ sideline projects, reported Shanghai TV.
“Going to do ‘edge-ball’ live-streaming,” the woman, identified as Xiaobingxin on Douyin, wrote in the comments section.
“I earn about 5,000 yuan (US$700) from my job as a lawyer, but 20,000 yuan from live-streaming. I cannot survive in Shanghai without doing live-streams.”
Edge-ball is a term borrowed from ping pong and refers to live-streaming activities with content that invites sexual attention, but is not categorised as pornography.
Xiaobingxin said she passed the bar examination – one of the most difficult tests in China – at the end of 2021.
She started her law career in 2022, with a monthly salary of 4,500 yuan as an intern at a firm in Shanghai.
Her income was raised to 5,500 yuan when she became a salaried lawyer, but she had little money left after paying rent, she said in a video.
In her spare time, Xiaobingxin appears live on several social media platforms, and has seen her followers jump from 10,000 to 600,000 over the past year, the report said.
In the sessions, she dresses and dances in a way that is construed as provocative. She also chats with viewers and answers legal questions on camera.
In one live-streaming event, she asks her fans: “Am I not beautiful and cute as well?”
In another, she pulls down the sleeve of her coat to reveal the tattoo on her arm, saying suggestively: “I cannot pull off all my clothes, right?”
“Shouldn’t the platform close her account for those pornographic elements?” said one online observer.
“I think she is drunk,” another said.
After her videos went viral online, Xiaobingxin said a comment she made that encouraged others to take part in edge-ball live-streaming was “just joking”.
“I am sorry for my kidding comment. I will speak and act cautiously in the future,” she said.
“Some people tipped off the Shanghai Bar Association and I was ordered by my boss at the law firm to delete all the dancing videos,” she added.
Her employer, Lianggao Law Firm, told the media that Xiaobingxin is still practising there and the firm is “communicating with her”.
Shanghai Bar Association said it has noted the claims and is currently verifying them.
Xiaobingxin’s Douyin account was still active at the time of writing, although most of her old videos have been removed.
“A professional lawyer who has studied hard for over 10 years can only earn 5,000 yuan a month, but a sexy live-streaming hostess can earn 20,000 yuan. What a society,” one person said online.
“Lawyers can also do live-streaming to sell products. Which law bans them from doing this?” another asked.
