Chinese couple’s surgery fundraising highlights how sudden fame ignites support, backlash

A woman in China, suffering from severe scoliosis, has gone viral after accusations that she is “making money by doing nothing” surfaced.This scrutiny followed the revelation that her boyfriend, Yan Ruize, worked gruelling food-delivery shifts to fund her much-needed surgery.He Ling, 23, hails from southwest China’s Sichuan province and was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis – a sideways curvature of the spine – at five years old. Now, at just 1.35 metres tall and weighing 31.5kg, she requires surgery estimated to cost around 300,000 yuan (US$45,000).After completing secondary school, He worked in a mobile phone parts factory, where she met Yan in 2021. Subsequently, she trained as a manicurist and began running a stall at a night market.When the factory where Yan was employed shut down, the couple initially depended on He’s income. In 2024, Yan became a food delivery rider, often working up to 14 hours a day to gather funds for her operation.Recently, a social media creator filmed their story, which went viral, garnering over 18 million views and significant public support. As reported by Fengmian News, online fundraising efforts approached 100,000 yuan, bringing He closer to her surgery goals.Her boyfriend works long hours as a delivery rider to fund her surgery, yet the couple face criticism for “selling misery.” Photo: BaiduHowever, the surge in online attention also attracted criticism. Some netizens questioned how someone struggling to afford medical expenses could still indulge in manicures, while others accused He of “selling misery” and “doing nothing for money.”In response, she removed her manicure and clarified that she was not solely reliant on contributions from her boyfriend or donations, emphasising that she also worked long hours and engaged in regular live-streaming.Across China, individuals with disabilities or illnesses are increasingly sharing their personal experiences and turning them into public narratives.For instance, Huang Ying, 31, from northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region, lost her sight after a childhood fever. She became the first visually impaired student in China to enter a prestigious university through the competitive gaokao exams. On Douyin, she shares her studies, travels, and daily life with over one million followers.In Guangdong, southern China, 27-year-old Yang Tiejun has transformed the involuntary shaking of his left arm – caused by three brain haemorrhages that left him partially paralysed – into material for humorous videos, attracting nearly 900,000 followers.Yet, the praise showered upon such creators often hinges on common virtues like being “hard-working, strong, or optimistic,” reinforcing narrow expectations regarding how disabilities should be portrayed.Further ReadingLei Jing, a sociology-of-emotions researcher at Hunan Institute of Science and Technology, argues that even well-intentioned encouragement can inadvertently bolster identity and class divisions, perpetuating social exclusion.In a 2024 paper published in Disability Research, communication scholars Duan Yongjie and Zhang Yuanyuan described this phenomenon as a form of “secondary stigmatisation.”Duan and Zhang caution that algorithm-driven platforms can amplify repetitive narratives, creating “echo chambers” that confine creators to simplistic identity labels, while online hostility and suspicion exacerbate stigmas and diminish their confidence.He Ling is seen with her manicure stall, which she operates at a night market to supplement her income and save for surgery. Photo: BaiduThe platform economy, in which visibility often translates into income, leaves many creators grappling with relentless pressure to chase traffic and monetise their content.Daidaimeng, an influencer with cerebral palsy and 60,000 followers, shared in a video that after four years of live-streaming and advertising, she had earned only 86,900 yuan (US$13,000).She partly attributed this to not appearing “disabled enough” to retain attention, stating that more sensational videos – such as attempts to run – were often necessary to prevent viewers from scrolling past her content.Her experience exemplifies the paradox of social media, where platforms may amplify disabled voices while rewarding only portrayals that conform to public expectations.Guo Zhiling, a researcher focused on Deaf culture, notes that some Deaf creators feel compelled to attempt speaking or singing on camera, driven by the curiosity of hearing audiences regarding their voices.Guo pointed out that this pressure can skew representation, favouring polished and elite portrayals of Deaf experiences while obscuring less visible realities in the quest for clicks.Fabricated stories have also contributed to public scepticism, placing genuine disabled creators under greater pressure to validate their lived experiences.In May, a blind influencer from Beijing, known as “Hug the Blind Rabbit,” claimed she was struck by an electric bicycle on tactile paving. The video garnered over 100 million views and widespread support from public figures before police later revealed the incident had been staged. The influencer was subsequently detained, and her account banned, with many netizens accusing her of “exploiting sympathy.”A viral video of their story has over 18 million views and has significantly aided fundraising efforts, nearing 100,000 yuan (US$15,000) for He Ling’s surgery. Photo: BaiduThese controversies provoke broader questions regarding how patients and individuals with disabilities should be perceived online.One user with the handle @rainism825 remarked that they should not be reduced to merely inspirational stories but rather allowed to express emotions such as anger, sadness, and despair.The user further added that when visually impaired individuals confront danger, the focus ought to be on inadequate accessibility and limited public awareness, rather than questioning their decision to go out in the first place.Furthermore, in a 2025 paper published in New Media & Society, Lu Pengyun and Guo Zhiling emphasised the need for social media platforms to embed equality into algorithmic designs and governance while reducing barriers to diverse and non-mainstream content.