 The release of New Women was marred by a backlash from the press who objected to their profession's unflattering portrayal in the film.When the film opened in Shanghai the commercial press took the film's narrative to task for depicting the news media as slanderous and the potential New Woman as suicidal.The Journalists’ Union loudly protested the film's characterization of their trade and the spectre of negative publicity pressured Lianhua studio into making an open apology.