Often when we discuss LGBT rights today, the topic is often followed by the fears and anxieties that have grown out of the Trump administration, and what often feels like its complete disregard for minorities throughout the nation. Furthermore, the threat of creeping authoritarianism and overtly conservative ideologies seem to be creeping across the Western World. And while these fears are certainly warranted; they are not the only major global shakeup occurring in the world right now with the implications that could potentially impact LGBT peoples across the globe.
In the summer of 2008, the world was shook, as the story of an ancient civilization; rebirth from years of humiliation; and rapid industrialization were displayed to the world, as a global audience watched a newly assertive world power take its seat at the table. The 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony is often touted as the year when China finally emerged as a global power; and yet, the countries rebirth had in reality started decades earlier as the country began to open up its markets in 1978, and later when it joined the World Trade organization in 2001 cementing its place as a global manufacturing powerhouse. Today the Made in China Brand is in every corner of the globe, the country has begun an expensive military modernization program, and its only a matter of time until the World’s second largest economy overtakes the US as the biggest economy. The country has already emerged as a rival to the US, with potential to overtake the United States as the world’s top Superpower by the end of the century. Despite the country’s newfound status as an economic giant, the country has not been able to shake its reputation of a Human Right’s pariah. How will China’s rise shape global LGBT rights for future generations? And what is it like to be a LGBT person in the deeply conservative country that prides itself on conformity and traditional Confucius values?
In 2018, Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize gay marriage. Despite Taipei’s reputation as a gay mecca, with one of the largest Gay Pride Marches in Asia, and a reputation of having wild, hedonistic gay bars and bath houses dotted across Taipei’s gayborhood; even in this open society, the push towards marriage equality was one that was hard won; with the youth facing off against their more conservative parents and grandparents. Across the heavily militarized Taiwan Straits, the story of marriage equality seems far away; and this despite Taiwan only being a little over 100 miles away from Mainland China at its closet point.
Taiwan’s push towards greater freedom has, on one hand, given many in the LGBT community in China hopes that someday their country will follow through. On the other hand, this has also put LGBT activist in the Chinese government’s cross-hairs. The push towards greater LGBT rights have often been flaunted as Western attempts to undermine sovereignty and social cohesion in authoritarian regimes. Likewise, the push for greater LGBT freedoms, while overdue in China, are unlikely to be met with sympathetic ear by Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, who has set forth on an agenda to further rein in on liberalism and individualism. China today has seen a massive crackdown on human rights lawyers, Chinese Christians, Muslim Uighurs, and even communist youths who have protested the treatment of migrant workers and factory workers who are the backbone of the Chinese economy. This means that those who are too vocal, regardless of the cause, are at risk of harassment, detention and perhaps even jail time.
Xi Jinping’s push towards a more conservative China has gone beyond government policy. The country has further cracked down on VPNs(Virtual private networks), making it harder to access Western websites, social media and apps. The government has made it harder for foreign films to access the lucrative Chinese markets; it’s banned tattoos from being shown on TV, and its even gone as far as to ban a popular rap and hip-hop reality competition show. One of the main targets of this new conservative push has been the LGBT community. The government has banned non heterosexual, non hetero-normative images and people from being shown on tv. When the critically acclaimed movie, Bohemian Rhapsody, about Queen Front man, Freddie Mercury, hit Chinese theaters, Mercury’s sexual orientation was completely erased from the movie. Likewise, China’s answer to twitter, Weibo, temporarily banned all LGBT content from its website last year.
Chinese media is not the only place where censorship exists for the LGBT community in China. Across public parks throughout China, it is not uncommon to run into an ‘Auntie’ or ‘Uncle’ huddled closely together with pictures of their unwed children, trading stats and stories, hoping to find a potential son or daughter-in-law. Unwed women past age 27 are often referred to as sheng nu or , “left over women”. To many in the older generation, the main purpose in life is to get married and have a child or two. And unfortunately, despite rapid industrialization and the removal of the one child policy, the desire for a son or grandchild is still common outside of major cities on the east coast of China. For many gay and lesbian Chinese, marriages of conveniences are common, where gays and lesbians marry, and have children to portray an image of heterosexuality. The idea of coming out to parents in China is almost unheard of outside of more cosmopolitan cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. For many LGBTQ Chinese, the choice to live in the closest, is also at times a career necessity, where a male dominated, boss-centric atmosphere may be more conducive for many looking for career advancement to live a more private life. The country removed homosexuality from the list of mental illness in 2001, however, despite this, conversion therapy persists in parts of the country, where many still treat being LGBT as a mental illness.
Despite the social pressures many LGBT Chinese face in Chinese society, the LGBT community is still very present, and with consideration towards population size, is likely the largest in the world. In 2018, a Chinese gaming company bought out Grindr, and gay dating apps like Blued and Aloha have grown in popularity across China. In Beijing and Shanghai, LGBT Chinese intermingle with business people, English teachers and tourists at cafes, bars and online. Views towards LGBT people in China has been changing; especially when considering Young Chinese citizens who often live in more cosmopolitan, developed cities across China’s Eastern Coast are increasingly accepting of LGBT rights. When Weibo attempted to ban LGBT content from its website, it was the youth in China who pushed back against what was likely a government push for the tech giant to censor itself; Weibo almost immediately reversed course when Weibo users stood their ground opposing the tech giant’s decision. In terms of Trans rights, the country has made strides, albeit often smaller strides. Jin Xing, an openly trans woman, famed dancer and Chinese Celebrity is a household name across China. She is the first trans woman in China to publicly undergo sex reconstructive surgery. Despite the government’s ban on LGBT information from the media, she is still a very prominent figure in China. The country has recently accepted the UN Human rights council’s five recommendations on LGBT rights this year, a move that surprised many LGBT activists in the country.
As China’s economy continues to open, the pendulum towards greater acceptance and freedom is likely to continue to move forward. However, what role will China play in global LGBT rights? The Chinese government has been on a spending and lending push, with the hopes of winning allies across the globe. China, an authoritarian government, often lends without the preconditions of democracy, human rights and liberal ideologies that often comes with Western loans and aid. Because of this, China has been able to make new friends across Africa, South East Asia, the Middle East and Eurasia, where LGBT rights are often trampled on. While the country does not give complicit backing to the anti-LGBT activities in other countries across the world, it does often treat such circumstance as sovereign decisions by sovereign nations, often pitting itself against Western liberalism and criticizing Western countries for involving themselves in the affairs of other countries. LGBT rights may have grown and become more accepted in China; however, the country is still by no means a global ally.
It seems likely that as China opens, its people will continue to become more open towards LGBT people and their rights. Nevertheless, any attempts to push LGBT rights further than the government currently is comfortable with, will likely be met with the same aggressive, forced censorship that Chinese human rights lawyers, religious minorities and activists have increasingly faced across the nation. Chinese society will continue to exist a paradox of rapid development and modernity, against the backdrop of conservatism and authoritarianism. China is unlikely to emerge a global ally towards LGBT rights across the world; but instead, a country more interested in markets, than the rights of others. With the backdrop of Brexit, Trump, and the potential demise of the EU, LGBT people will have to adjust to a new superpower who tolerates, but by no means supports their existence, as well as a world seemingly less welcome and supportive of their rights and needs.
