News & Events

Frontiers of Social Science Research Seminar Series

Permission to Offend: An Asian Woman's Journey to Finding Her Voice in English Stand-up

Date: 25 November 2026 (Wednesday)

Time: 2.30 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. (HKT)

Speaker: Ms He HUANG (Stand-up Comedian)

Moderator: Prof. Yang ZHAN (Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Venue: Room DE306, PolyU

Registration link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/JEJhwm55Bk

Abstract: Stand-up Comedy is a crucial outlet to explore, discuss and deconstruct social issues.

Growing up in China in the 1980s and 90s, He HUANG absorbed a set of values that had less to do with tradition than with the times: a pragmatic, collective mindset in which fitting in mattered more than speaking out, and a woman’s voice was rarely the one being heard. Stand-up comedy asks for the opposite. It rewards women for saying exactly what they were taught to keep quiet, serving as an artistic way of intervening in life.

Sharing her journey, she explores how upbringing limits female expression and why an Asian woman performing in a second language self-censors so strictly. Discussing cross-cultural craft and navigating online abuse, the session asks where the line between humour and offence falls, who draws it, and how claiming the right to cross it means claiming one’s own voice.

Biography: He HUANG is an internationally acclaimed stand-up comedian known for her sharp-witted, deadpan delivery and brilliant cultural observations. Armed with a Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University and over 300K online followers, she blends honest humour with razor-sharp social satire. A global viral phenomenon from Australia’s Got Talent, she frequently headlines premier venues, including sold-out runs at London’s Soho Theatre and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala. Her solo shows, such as Tiger Daughter vs The World and her 2026 tour TEMU Joke Factory, have captivated audiences across Australia, the UK, North America and Asia. Winner of Best Newcomer at the 2023 Sydney Comedy Festival, she seamlessly bridges cultural divides, establishing her as a brilliant rising star in modern cross-cultural comedy.

Registration deadline: 1.00 p.m., 23 November 2026 (HKT)

Organiser: 
China and Global Development Network, Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Enquiry: [email protected]