New goal for gender equality

"In addition to selling books, the bookstore is an inviting and safe public space to communicate, discuss and provide support among people concerned, under the basic rule: let women talk," Cui says.

Over the past year, Cui has held dozens of salons, film screenings and book clubs involving various topics and formats, ranging from women's health, sexual harassment, intimate relationships and domestic violence.

Last month, about 40 people, mostly women, gathered at a salon in a meeting room near the bookstore, The Other Green, to talk about gender inequality in soccer. Amid the heated discussion about women's roles on the soccer field, amateur players from Beijing-based WM women's soccer club shared their experiences on how they have been excluded from the game because of their gender and hoped that every woman could enjoy the sport without fear.

WM is short for the club's slogan: "We women, the mighty Metaxus." Metaxu is a Greek term for "in-between" employed by French philosopher Simone Weil for her concept of intermediaries.

Xiao Da was a formidable player since primary school but was the only girl on the soccer pitch until junior middle school and was excluded from training at school because it didn't have a girls' team.

"Soccer is like a mirror of society, where numerous gender barriers need to be broken down," the 29-year-old says.

"The good news is that we are seeing increasing participation by women and girls in the male-dominated game."

The Chinese women's soccer team has been performing well in global grounds and earned respect nationwide.

During the heated discussion, Cui takes a back seat in a corner and listens to women's concerns, as he always does in these activities.