Two out of three people in China find homosexuality unacceptable, according to a survey by Shanghai Jiaotong University released today.
The survey asked almost 3,500 residents across the country what they thought of topics such as homosexuality and their acceptance's grade. The answers showed that over 68 percent of respondents graded the topic of homosexuality in the range considered unacceptable.
Although homosexual activity between consenting adults was legalised in 1997, and homosexuality declassified as a mental illness in 2001, traditional values still played a dominant role in determining social attitudes.
Currently, there are no laws in China to protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, nor same-sex couples can marriage or adopt.
A lot of people attend anually Shanghai Pride and Taipei Pride
By René LaFleur;
ReplyDeleteI found your article very informative and insightful. China in many ways is a prisoner to family traditions. Family is very important to the Chinese. In some of the Chinese languages, the way "syllables" are stressed is dependent on your birth order. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I always enjoy reading your blog articles.
awe thanks René!
ReplyDeleteI try to do all my best,
I really appreciate your support! big kiss! :x
By James Laughlin:
ReplyDeleteI remember watching on television the day 1 man brought a line of military tanks to a halt. They had been deployed by China's military during the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Our president, George H.W. Bush, a former ambassador to China, reacted as one might expect. I wonder what happened to that man? How much freedom does a Chinese citizen have in answering that question openly and honestly? In October, I was the first openly gay man a young exchange-student from China, attending Arizona State University, ever met. He was 22 years at the time, it was at an annual LGBTQ event in Phoenix called The Rainbows Festival, and he was attending with his Cultural Advisor. He could not fathom the number of people, open, and proud. If you are in China, please correct me, but the number is not a surprise. Thanks.
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteThe existence of homosexuality in China has been well documented since ancient times. According to one study, homosexuality in China was regarded as a normal facet of life in China, prior to the Western impact of 1840 onwards. Opposition to homosexuality, according to the study by Hinsch, did not become firmly established in China until the 19th and 20th centuries, through the Westernization efforts of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.
Thus, it may remain for further research to determine the question of whether anti-gay attitudes in Modern China can be significantly attributed to the entrance of Western attitudes into China, or whether opposition was merely not expressed in a coherent manner. Either way, it is indisputable that homosexual sodomy was banned in the People's Republic of China from at least the twentieth century, until it was legalized in 1997. In 2001, homosexuality was removed from the official list of mental illnesses in China.
Officially, overt police enforcement against gay people is restricted to gay people engaging in gay sex acts in public or gay prostitution, which are also illegal for heterosexuals.
However, despite these changes, no civil rights law exists to address discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The media tends to censor positive depictions of gay couples in films and television shows and households headed by same-sex couples are not permitted to adopt children and do not have the same privileges as heterosexual married couples.
Further information: LGBT history in China http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_history_in_China
Hi there! Those photos are not from Shanghai Pride - there is no parade during ShanghaiPride!
ReplyDeleteThey might be from Taipei Pride?
Perhaps you could replace them? Thanks for linking to our website though :D
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ShanghaiPRIDE is an annual festival that celebrates diversity. It is run entirely by volunteers and supported by businesses, foreign consulates, and individual sponsors. The events of the week-long festival aim to create awareness and promote tolerance. The festival has taken place in Shanghai, China, every year since 2007.
Thanks Green_Chili, updated it.
ReplyDelete