User:Haiyili222/LGBT history in China

In the draft, I add the section of homosexuality during the decade of cultural revolution and censorship of the LGBTQ content in the public sphere, and I edit the section of Contemporary China, the bold words are what I added, and I use strikethrough to delete the words I think abundant.

Homosexuality During the Cultural Revolution
'''During the decade of the Cultural Revolution, homosexual behaviors were subjected to criminalization or 'class enemy' (a concept used to criminalize wealthy people or people who support capitalism). Homosexual behaviors were seen as a bourgeoisie act that did not align with socialism value. Men who participated in homosexual behavior were charged with hooliganism (liumangzui). The act of sodomy and oral sex were considered criminal and men involved in homosexual behavior would be interrogated by the polices and sentenced to re-education camp. In an interview, a few people who has been the period of cultural revolution revealed that they would be beaten and interrogated if found having sexual relationship with other men. Many homosexual men would choose to engage in heterosexual marriages while having extra-martial same sex relationships to fulfill sexual desire.'''

However, the literature on homosexual women remains unclear.

Modern LGBTQ in Contemporary China[edit]
Despite reports of harassment and discrimination, a liberalization trend was gradually taking place in the 1980s through to the early 2000s (decade). This process is intricately tied to Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms in the 1970s, such as the Open Door Policy in 1978, and the self-identified quality of "Opening Up" (kaifang) embraced during this period of reform.

After the ending of the cultural revolution, starting in the late 1970s or early 1980s, in the public sphere, the discussion about homosexuality emerged. greater public discussion and research of homosexuality became permitted. One of the first Hong Kong gay rights activists and writers to study the history of homosexuality in China was Xiaomingxiong (also known as Samshasha), author of the comprehensive "The History of Homosexuality in China" (1984). By the mid-1980s Chinese researchers on the mainland had begun investigating same-sex relationships in China. Some of the most notable work was conducted by sexologist Ruan Fangfu, who in 1991 published in English Sex in China: Studies in Sexology in Chinese Culture.

The first recorded gay and lesbian community began to develop in the early 1990s in Beijing, however due to the reason that homosexuality was a relatively sensitive topic, most of LGBTQ communities remained underground or semi-public to avoid police investigation. The introduction of the internet in 1998 allowed for a convenient medium for LGBT activists to connect and communicate through online connection. Online chatrooms allowed a space for LGBTQ members to contact and develop connections. were a great resource for grassroots LGBT organizations.

In 1997, the Chinese criminal code was revised to eliminate the vague crime of "hooliganism" (liumangzui), which had been used as a de facto ban on private, adult, non-commercial and consensual homosexual conduct.

On April 20, 2001, the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders formally removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.

An internet survey in 2000 showed that Chinese people are becoming more tolerant towards homosexuality: among the 10,792 surveyed, 48.15% were in favor, 30.9% disapproved, 14.46% were uncertain, and 7.26% were indifferent. Gay bashing is rare in modern China. The authorities do not actively promote gay issues in China. Although there is no law against homosexuality or same-sex acts between consenting adults, neither are there laws requiring people to accept individuals who engage in gay acts. It is believed that the Chinese policy towards the gay issue remains the "Three nos": no approval, no disapproval, and no promotion (不支持, 不反对, 不提倡 bù zhīchí, bù fǎnduì, bù tíchàng).

In 2001, the Beijing Queer Film Festival was founded by LGBT film director Cui Zi'en, with the intention to be community-led. although in subsequent years In the subsequent years, the film festival itself faced regular cancellations ruled by the Beijing authorities, media censorship and police raids, as reported recorded in a 2011 documentary by Chinese filmmaker Yang Yang, entitled Our Story: The Beijing Queer Film Festival's 10 Years of "Guerrilla Warfare" (我們的故事：北京酷兒影展十年游擊戰).

In 2008, a survey conducted by sociologist and sexologist Li Yinhe showed a mixed picture of public attitudes towards gays and lesbians in China. 91% of respondents said they agreed with homosexuals having equal employment rights, while over 80% of respondents agreed that heterosexuals and homosexuals were "equal individuals". On the other hand, a slight majority disagreed with the proposition that an openly gay person should be a school teacher, and 40% of respondents said that homosexuality was "completely wrong."

The number of Chinese identifying as homosexual remains unclear. The Ministry of Health estimated there were five to 10 million homosexuals in the Chinese mainland (0.4–0.8% of the population), aged between 15 and 65 in 2006. Sociologist Li Yinhe estimated it is between 36 and 48 million. One statement based on Chinese government documents and academic studies states that the figure is 15 million. An official statistic, as quoted in a news report in China Daily, put the figure for mainland China at "approximately 30 million" (2.3% of the population), though it admitted many Chinese would not openly declare their sexual orientation.

The mainstream media sometimes cover notable gay events abroad, such as pride parades. Some critics charge that the purpose of the media is mostly to smear homosexuality. Lacking a film rating system, the Chinese government forbids gay movies to be shown on TV or in theaters because they are "inappropriate". New Western films, like Brokeback Mountain in 2006, were denied release in the mainland, even though there was an overall public interest as the film was directed by Taiwanese-American director Ang Lee.

Although more prominent in first-tier Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, gay clubs, bars, tea houses, saunas, and support centers are also becoming more widespread in second-tier cities like Xi'an, Dalian, and Kunming. Occasionally, these locations are subject to police harassment. Similar to the development of the gay scene in other countries, other less formal 'cruising spots' exist in parks, public washrooms, malls, and public shower centers. Being gay is particularly difficult in the countryside; in China this is especially severe as the vast majority of people live in the countryside with no Internet access and no possibility to move to a city. Country dwellers do not often speak of homosexuality, and when they do, it is usually considered a disease.

Until recently, those participating in gay activities were still punished by the justice system and pursued by the police, and were liable to be detained and arrested. In October 1999, a Beijing court ruled that homosexuality was "abnormal and unacceptable to the Chinese public". Another notable case happened in July 2001, when at least 37 men who were behaving in a homosexual manner were detained in Guangdong. In late April 2004, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (国家广播电影电视总局) initiated a campaign to clear violence and sexual content from the media. Programs related to homosexual topics or language were considered to be going against the healthy way of life in China. As recently as April 2011, police raided a gay bar in Shanghai and detained at least 60 of its patrons overnight.

As early as 2004 and having seen rapid rises in HIV infection among gay and bisexual men in other Asian countries, provincial- and city-level health departments began HIV-related research among men who have sex with men (MSM). In 1996, AIDS-related funds from the government were just over $500,000 but by 2001 this figured reached nearly $10 million annually. The AIDS public health crisis remains one of the most influential variables for the rise of LGBT groups worldwide. However this funding was mostly focused on gay groups so other sexual minorities groups have developed more slowly in comparison. In January 2006 the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued Regulations on AIDS Prevention and Treatment. The document specifically mentioned MSM as a population that is vulnerable to HIV infection and directed officials and organizations on every level to include MSM in HIV-prevention activities. In April 2008, under the direction of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, 61 cities in China initiated community-based studies of MSM and their potential risk for becoming infected with HIV. Concurrent to these studies, HIV prevention programs were initiated in those same cities using a peer led intervention model.

In June 2009, China's first gay pride festival was held in Shanghai, which was followed by a seven-day film festival featuring LGBT-themed films. On 25 August 2009, after police crackdown on gay meeting places in Guangzhou, about 100 gay men publicly protested in the People's Park, a popular hangout for gays. According to Human Rights Watch, the protest "has been hailed as a milestone" in the history of LGBT rights in China.

A 2010 photographic campaign dubbed "Smile4Gay", which featured heterosexual mainland Chinese holding signs in support for LGBT people and LGBT rights, attracted more than 4,409 willing participants, a figure which more than twice surpassed the founder's initial estimated turnout. While a majority of the supporters came from those in their twenties, several adolescents, middle-aged adults, and even elderly individuals showed their support. Multiple Buddhist monks also posed.

In early July 2011, Lu Liping, a famous actress, criticized homosexuality in a micro-blog post, calling it "a shameful conduct which is judged by God." This incident followed by numerous debates across Chinese internet portals and even a report on CCTV (China's Central Television) news channel, in which the news reporter defended homosexuals, as decent members of society that should have similar privileges as anyone else. Lu's husband, Sun Haiying, also made public comments in 2007 which condemned homosexuality and bisexuality as "criminal in nature" and akin to "one night stands, keeping of mistresses, wife-swapping and swinging", attracting the attention of China Daily columnist Raymond Zhou (who, in turn, received an email by Shirley Phelps-Roper of the Westboro Baptist Church in response to his article).

When comparing the situation of male homosexuals to that of lesbians, many Chinese believe that lesbians are less offensive to the mainstream compared to gay males. Furthermore, men have more responsibility to carry on the family line, therefore gay men can feel greater pressure than women. Liberalization and social change are making life easier for same-sex attracted citizens to some extent, but the one-child policy keeps the pressure to get married very high, and lesbians often cannot resist such a family and social demand, though the Chinese government announced in November 2013, that it would relax the policy by allowing families to have two children if one of the parents is an only child.

Inside the LGBT movement in China the gay moment is dominant while other sexual minorities have historically been relegated. On 11 December 2011, a group calling themselves "Pretty Fighters" issued a manifesto proclaiming, "We are lalas. We are queer. We want to speak out." This controversy started when the Aibai organization (a major LGBT group in China) made claims that homosexuality is inborn and that queer theory, which upholds the possibility of plurality in sexual desire, was harmful to the LGBT movement. This debate eventually led to the lesbian movement declaring independence from the gay movement. "The Pretty Fighter Debate" was a major event for the LGBT movement within China because it hailed the lack of gender awareness in China, marked the independence of the lesbian movement, and defined "queer lala" as inclusive of other sexual mores including transgender individuals.

On December 19, 2014, a Chinese gay man who goes by the pseudonym Xiao Zhen won a lawsuit filed with Beijing's Haidian District People's Court in May. Xiao Zhen accused a psychiatric counseling clinic named Xinyu Piaoxiang in Chongqing province of offering him "conversion" therapy to "cure" homosexuality by administering hypnosis and electric shock. In February 2014, Xiao Zhen had voluntarily accepted the therapy after being pressured by his parents to marry and have children. After completing the therapy, Xiao Zhen decided to sue the clinic for causing physical, emotional and mental damage through electric shocks and hypnosis. "The clinic in the suit is still offering to cure gay people, and it's not just them. There are lots of clinics and mental hospitals offering this kind of therapy all across the country." The Xinyu Piaoxiang clinic was ordered by the Haidian District People's Court to pay compensation of 3,500 yuan ($560) to Xiao Zhen for costs incurred in the therapy. The clinic was also asked to apologize and stop the "spurious promotion" of "homosexual therapy."

This was the first official Chinese ruling that homosexuality was not a disease and did not require treatment. The verdict was described as "an historical moment" by Geng Le, founder of the gay forum application Blued. "This is the first clear, positive description of homosexuality in the legal area .... The verdict will help gay rights advocates to urge clinics to halt such treatments and persuade parents not to pressure their gay children to undergo therapy," he said.

State censorship of freedom of expression in depicting LGBT relationships remains an issue. In 2015, film-maker Fan Popo sued government censors for pulling his gay documentary Mama Rainbow from online sites. The lawsuit concluded in December 2015 with a finding by Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court that the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT) had not requested that hosting sites pull the documentary. Despite this ruling, which Fan felt was a victory because it effectively limited state involvement, "the film is still unavailable to see online on Chinese hosting sites."

In the same year, the ShanghaiPRIDE Film Festival opened. It was founded by Matthew Baren, a Shanghai-based filmmaker, and Alvin Li, an LGBT volunteer who lives in the US and China.

On December 31, 2015, the China Television Drama Production Industry Association posted new guidelines, including a ban on showing queer relationships on TV. The regulations stated: "No television drama shall show abnormal sexual relationships and behaviors, such as incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on." These new regulations have begun to affect web dramas, which have historically had fewer restrictions:

"Chinese Web dramas are commonly deemed as enjoying looser censorship compared with content on TV and the silver screen. They often feature more sexual, violent and other content that is deemed by traditional broadcasters to fall in the no-no area."

In February 2016 the popular Chinese gay web series Addicted (Heroin) was banned from being broadcast online 12 episodes into a 15-episode season. Makers of the series uploaded the remaining episodes on YouTube, and production of a planned second season remains in doubt.

In early 2017, it was announced that a new community-led, not-for-profit LGBT film festival, the Shanghai Queer Film Festival, would open in September of the same year, to provide a platform for Chinese and other Asian filmmakers, and greater interaction with the audience. The Director of the Festival is Ting Ting Shi.

In mid-2017, the Communist Youth League of China condemned official internet guidelines to include gay content into the "abnormal sexual behaviour" category.

'''In August 2020, ShanghaiPRIDE Film Festival was cancelled due to stresses from the local authorities. '''

In mid-2021, several public accounts ran by college LGBTQ organizations on WeChat were shut down without any notice.

'''In the February of 2022, the Winter Olympic game was held in Beijing, and the number of LGBTQ Olympians reached to a new record. However, the Chinese official government remained silent about advocation of LGBTQ rights for Olympians and did not conduct anything regarding LGBTQ rights.'''

In mid-2023, an organization based in Beijing-- Beijing LGBT center-- announced that the center will stop operating due to the stress from authority. '''Several Taiwan pop singers, such as Jolin Tsai, Kulilay Amit, and May Day, toured in major cities in mainland China. and during the concert, several audiences raised the rainbow flags and banners to express the support for LGBTQ rights'''. '''However, after the videos of rainbow flags became popular online, concerts in other cities emerged the safety check that several polices would ask audiences to open their bags before entering, things with rainbow flags or rainbow color would be taken away. In the gig of Changsha, LGBTQ-themed song was removed from the music-list.'''

On October 28, 2023, Taipei hosted the annual Pride Parade with participants reaching to record-breaking number.

Hong Kong Gay Games was held from November 3 to November 11, amid the worry of increased stress from conservative politics.

Censorship on LGBTQ content in the public sphere
'''In the post-socialism time, the production of pop culture has been made distinctive under the special social environment of mainland China. In 2005, the cultural production of queer figures such as masculine women and effeminate men emerged on Chinese reality TV shows. The circulation of LGBTQ-themed productions face several obstacles posed by the official government, and with the increasingly intensive censorship, cultural production of LGBTQ developed a distinctive way to present.'''

'''After Xi Jinping took the role to serve as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2013, censorship targeting LGBTQ-related content has heightened that in public sphere, movies, music, televisions, and documentaries conveying LGBTQ content are commanded to delete the part involving LGBTQ characters or stories. Mandarin and Cantonese Pop singers such as A-mei, Tat-Ming Pair, Denise Ho, and Jolin Tsai were being censored because some of their songs involving the advocation of LGBTQ rights.'''

'''Censorship against LGBTQ-related content has been frequently-mentioned problems among LGBTQ communities based in major cities in mainland China. In the summer of 2021, many public WeChat accounts conveying LGBTQ rights ran by college university students were shut down and deleted without any warning. The massive crackdown of LGBTQ accounts in social media has been a major event for Chinese LGBTQ communities in 2021.'''