Armed with a wig, a surgical mask, and a camera, cross-dresser Hong Jie allegedly lured almost 1,000 men into his scheme.
On a random day in July 2025, the name “Sister Hong” exploded across Chinese social media. The trending Weibo topic left users flabbergasted.
Nicknamed as “Hong Jie” on Weibo, or Sister Hong, a 38-year old man surnamed Jiao from Nanjing, China, was arrested and detained on July 6, following rumours that he had filmed himself having sex with several men while pretending to be a woman.
He had allegedly arranged several sexual encounters with them, accepting small gifts of household sundries or appliances in lieu of cash payments. He would later upload the recorded acts online for views and profit.
As these videos spread like wildfire, users were left with morbid curiosity.
Several questions were left unanswered: How did Jiao do it? Were those men really that desperate? Did they not know?
Sister Hong “Hong Jie” Explained
Visually, Sister Hong is not exactly a bombshell beauty. His illusion relies on a wig with bangs – the kind that you pick when you need to pretend to be someone else on a budget – and thick makeup covered with a surgical mask.
With only his eyes visible, he completes the feminine “illusion” with clothes that cover his entire body, capped off by a long maxi skirt for (presumably) easy access.
Beyond the mask, Sister Hong presents as a married woman looking for fun on dating apps. To fully embody this persona, he adopts a soft demeanour, calming actions, and speaks with a hushed tone.
And it worked – again and again.
The (Alleged) Body Count
Initial numbers had pointed towards over 1,000 men who had their sexual encounters filmed and distributed online. Local police later clarified the figure was inaccurate, but stopped short of providing an exact number.
Jiao’s social media accounts and the videos he posted have since been removed, but several screenshots and saved recordings are still floating around the internet.
The male victims’ faces are uncensored in each video, with a compilation of screenshots showing the sheer number of men who attended the meet ups.
On Weibo, online sleuths soon linked these screenshots to their actual social media accounts. This led to one woman reportedly filing for divorce after recognising her husband among those recorded.
Weibo soon flooded with posts jokingly warning people to check if their boyfriends were part of the “Sister Hong collage”.
But, Why Didn’t They Leave?
This question has obsessed the internet more than the act itself. Why did these men not leave?
As though Jiao’s situation was not baffling enough, social media users have also been left flummoxed by the actions of his victims.
A few behavioural and psychological theories help explain this:
Situational Factors
Following the psychological theory that behavioural changes are caused by one’s surroundings and circumstances rather than the innate traits that one has, there are various purported reasons why the men went through with it.
Discretion and Low Risk
Unlike commercial sex, where legal boundaries often confine brothels and sex workers to highly visible areas, Jiao arranged the encounters privately in his home. This appeared to be low risk and discreet.
Adding to that was the “price”: no cash involved, just a watermelon or a bag of rice. For some, it may have seemed like a no-strings-attached arrangement.
Sunk-Cost Fallacy
Sunk-cost fallacy is the phenomenon where someone is reluctant to give up on something after having invested heavily into it.
If the men saw buying a watermelon and travelling to Jiao’s home as an investment in the promise of free sex, they likely felt compelled to follow through, even after the illusion fell apart.
After all, they had gone this far. Why give up now?
Allure of Taboo Activities
It is important to remember that Jiao’s “Sister Hong” persona hinged entirely on the allure of being a married woman on a dating app.
Extrapolation would suggest that by cashing in on the taboo of having an affair with a married woman, Jiao was able to ensnare men who were curious about an encounter of this nature.
For some, the thrill of doing something forbidden may have overridden logic or suspicion.
Psychological Factors
Beyond just situational circumstances, there are a variety of psychological factors that may have influenced the participants.
Cognitive Dissonance
It is quite clear that there was a large gap between who Sister Hong was pretending to be, and who Jiao actually was.
The men may have chosen to go through with it to avoid facing the obvious disconnect. After all, walking away would have forced them to admit they had been fooled.
Emotional Validation
Through Jiao’s carefully crafted persona, he was able to fully encapsulate what the men would have expected from a married woman. The gentle tone of voice, the quiet subservience, even the illusion of being a provider through the gifts of groceries all helped to paint a picture of an ideal marriage.
It creates a fantasy of being a husband who provides for his loving wife. As strange as it seems, it may have undoubtedly pushed some men to continue the encounter.
What Comes Next?
Jiao has since been arrested on charges of distributing obscene materials, but many have also voiced health concerns and fears.
With many of the encounters happening without the use of protection, anxiety about potential exposure to sexually transmitted infections has mounted. However, claims regarding HIV transmission related to the case have not been verified. Relevant health authorities have not released a statement yet, but they urge anyone concerned about their sexual health to get tested.
What remains is a disturbing portrait of deception, curiosity, and the deeply human need for connection, even when it comes at the cost of truth.
