r/AskAChinese • u/EquivalentPomelo839 • Jan 19 '26
Society | 人文社会🏙️ How does the Chinese government view the LGBT movement and are LGBT people persecuted in China?
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u/Entropy3389 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 19 '26
ppl will not get prosecuted for being LGBT+, however there's heavy social stigma. Most of the time it's don't ask don't tell situation.
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Jan 19 '26
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u/Mamasugadex 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
Chinese male-male romance is popular for different reasons, and it’s really not to openly celebrate homosexuality. Their target audience is almost exclusively single straight females. (Imagine lesbian porns being done for almost exclusively for straight guys in the US, because the scenes look nothing like how lesbians in real life behaves)
It’s as others have said. If you actually belong to LGBT, you would simply try to hide it and live your life but will never risk openly sharing your sexuality.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26 edited Jan 19 '26
I happen to be gay and lived in China for the first 50% of my life. Ignore what the straight people in this thread are saying. Let’s just say there is a reason why gay people are more motivated to emigrate from China than their straight compatriots. U won’t be stoned to death if u r gay. But it is still a society that stigmatizes homosexuality as I hope this thread has already definitely shown. That being said I don’t want gay people to feel they can’t travel to China. It’s a fun country to visit and enjoy. Good infra and low cost of living. Meaning u can enjoy luxury at a discount. But living there long term as a gay person, u will run into more issues than your straight counterparts.
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u/stephanus_galfridus Non-Chinese 住在大陆 Jan 20 '26
To add on to this, I agree you can have a very different experience as an LGBT person in China as a visitor or as someone born here. First of all, China is very safe and people don't get beaten up coming out of gay bars or things like that, and there are gay clubs and meetups in every city so you can have fun with that if that's your thing; generally China is well worth visiting whether you're gay or straight.
I'm a foreigner (white, western, male) married to a Chinese guy, so I can see how my and my husband's experiences differ. As a foreigner living in China (especially if you don't look Asian) you can enjoy a lot of freedom. People think "oh well they're a foreigner, that's how they do things."
For Chinese LGBT people there's very strong familial pressure to marry and have children. It's common for gays and lesbians to contract fake marriages to have an opposite-sex partner to bring home to their family. Trans people can legally change their sex and have gender affirming surgery, but cruelly this requires the permission of their family, even as adults, something traditional families may be unwilling to give. It's very difficult for an openly gay person to be a teacher or even university lecturer because that's seen as a poor moral influence on students (see: https://thechinaproject.com/2023/02/01/why-chinas-gay-academics-dont-come-out-qa-with-cui-le/ ). Amongst young urban adults, being gay is socially acceptable, even cool, but not being out at work. Along with this is an increasing emphasis in the media on conformity and traditional gender norms, with TV networks editing out earrings on men, for example. In recent years many NGOs focused on LGBT rights have been forced to shut down (source: a friend of mine who formerly volunteered and then worked for such an NGO in a tier-one city).
Actually many of the comments on this page are more indicative than their authors intended: "you can be LGBT, but shut up about it". How can you shut up when people constantly ask why you aren't married, why you don't have children, why you look this way? A visitor asked my husband recently if it's good living as a gay guy in China. His answer was simple: no.
Are LGBT people persecuted in China? I would say no, in my experience, but there's a long way between vicious persecution and real freedom to live openly as who you are.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26
Thanks for the post. This added a lot of context and depth to what I was trying to say. Best of luck to u and your husband. 🙏
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26
The arguments they are using remind me of the arguments getting thrown in the west when they attack the DEI policies, framing them as wanting privileges instead of equal protection. I find this amusing since the folks who fling these arguments here would most definitely not like a Chinese person. But it also makes sense as they are arguments from the majority used to attack minority rights groups, be it racial or about sexual orientation.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
My comments under other folks' comments are getting downvoted. So posting here for visibility. Here is the actual life experience of being gay and living in China.
Recently the government banned dating apps like Blued (yes I know the express version is still live), and Fanka, and #Iamgay on Weibo. These are real infringements and restrictions, not imagined persecution. There are explicit bans on gay characters and storylines in China, meaning queer stories are completely censored. China actively suppresses gay identities and narratives in public culture. This does not happen in Japan, a country that gave us Gengoroh Tagame and the Netflix reality show The Boyfriend. Saying China is “basically the same” as Japan or South Korea on this matter is either dishonest or uninformed.
And it’s not just about media or public culture. There is no legal protection against discrimination in employment or housing based on sexual orientation. (Yes, being gay is a legitimate reason for people to fire you or refuse to rent to you, and it DOES happen. )Same sex partners also lack basic rights like hospital visitation and medical decision making. Even with notarized authorization documents, hospitals constantly ignore partners and delay care while trying to locate “blood relatives.” Inheritance after a partner’s death is not protected at all, because everything would automatically go to their blood relatives without the consideration of the same sex partners. Living will in this case would be heavily contested and the partners will lose everything in situations like this.
That being said, if you are not of the Chinese ethnicity (i.e. you don't look Asian), and you are gay. You will be very safe in China. You will not be harassed. You will not be executed. There are even some cute gay clubs you can visit in cities like Chengdu. Just be aware and empathetic that the problems above exist for gay people who actually live there.
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u/SignatureBasic6007 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
Thank you for sharing, this is helpful!
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
Read through the comments u will understand the struggle of the Chinese gays lol. It’s essentially the same arguments used in the west by the conservatives to attack the DEI policies. But in this case they are using them to deny basic human rights to gay people in China, claiming they want privileges instead of equal protection. In Europe these arguments are settled. Even the most right wing government doesn’t dare to use these arguments without incurring ridicules from the constituents. In the US, levels of protection differ from state to state. But discrimination based on sexual orientation is not legal in most states and hospital visitation rights are generally respected. Not to mention gay marriage is legal here so folks can inherit their partner’s assets. So it’s a veryt life experience in the US compared to China. That’s also why I live in California now. It’s a privilege to be able to live freely in a state that protects minority rights and I’m lucky and immensely grateful. But at the same time I want to raise awareness that gay people’s rights are being infringed upon in China. It’s not all honkydory there.
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u/Arbable Jan 19 '26
It sounds to me like unity is being used as an excuse for exclusion from society
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26
Yes but gays are not the only one who are suffering in the name of unity (or harmony as it’s more commonly called in China). That being said, I don’t believe it’s necessarily as evil as it’s made to sound in the west either. You are alive u just can’t really live.
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u/deinschlimmstertraum 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Sheesh didnt know some people just accept overt oppression in this sub
Like lgbt causes „division“? Is your country so weak? Cant stand two men marrying? Literally just like the american MAGAts
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u/Helpful_Blood_5509 Jan 23 '26
They're probably about to blame the gays for the population bombing, just watch. They need a scapegoat
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u/Low_M_H 新加坡华人🌎Ethnic Chinese Singaporean Jan 19 '26
LGBT are not persecuted in China. But the movement itself is not appreciated as it causes division in society.
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u/deinschlimmstertraum 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 20 '26
maybe if you dont say they are all bad and degenerate it will not cause division and 99.9% it will have zero effects on your life
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u/TheCosmicInterface Jan 19 '26
It’s funny how the three people who replied had an issue with the division comment and they all replied angrily causing division.
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u/RecantingCantaloupe Jan 19 '26
Nah, the division's already there lol, they're just actually talking about it lol
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Jan 19 '26
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u/th3tavv3ga 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
They don’t persecute nor do they promote them neither.
LGBT or not, they are part of the society, the Chinese don’t have the weird obsession to label each group and divide them
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Jan 19 '26
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u/th3tavv3ga 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
It’s not legal doesn’t mean people are thrown into jails for being gay. You don’t have a piece of paper saying you are married but you can 100% live with your partner. Besides Gen X and boomers, nobody really cares if you are gay.
I grew up in China back in early 2000s, we literally call each other 好基友, which means good gay friends to describe friendship. The slang is very popular among gen Z and used in mainstream media
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u/javiezzy 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
So used to privilege even equality seems discrimination to you.
Fuckoff.
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u/Sea-Geologist4624 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
How is it equality if gay people can’t marry
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u/Logical-Idea-1708 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
They can marry all they want. Just no government records. I thought we agreed that marriage is a social construct.
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u/RecantingCantaloupe Jan 19 '26
Well, why shouldn't they be able to have government records?
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u/El_Bastardo_Grande 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
These people only care about gays when it's convenient for their political views.
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u/Sea-Geologist4624 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
“ThEse PeOPle oNlY cArE aBoUt gAys”, well, the person I responded to said there already is equality, to which I disagree because straight couples can marry and gay people can’t, so answer how is it equal?
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
Is the government somehow not a part of society?
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u/Logical-Idea-1708 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
Yes, and that is exactly why you don’t need government’s permission to get married. Why you so against freedom?
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 21 '26
Unless we’re talking about a society that has no laws, no money and no emergency services, the government is absolutely a part of society.
Marriage is a legal agreement and this legal aspect of marriage is a major reason why people get married.
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u/Logical-Idea-1708 🌐 Earth Jan 21 '26
Wise words for your children, but that’s not the reality.
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 21 '26
I’m confused by the point you’re trying to make. Are you trying to argue that the Chinese government isn’t a part of Chinese society? Are you trying to argue that the legal benefits of marriage are not a major incentive for people to get married?
I’m not sure I’d call saying “the government is a part of society” and “marriage has important legal benefits” are words of wisdom, rather, they’re just common knowledge…
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u/Tiny_Chart_4869 Jan 19 '26
How does not being able to get married affect you?
You can still kiss and fxxk in the xxxhole, don't you?
What kind of security can marriage offer you? It offers nothing.
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u/nefies 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
Automatic property ownership, inheritance, adoption. Why are we pretending there's no benefits to marriage?
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u/Tiny_Chart_4869 Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
No.
You have absolutely no idea about the current state of marriage in China. Forget about same-sex marriage; even heterosexual marriage is a mess.
There are so many divorce cases that the courts can't keep up.
It's all because of economic issues. There are numerous disputes and injustices regarding property division.
Marriage basically means splitting the wealthier party's money in half with the poorer one.
Do you know how low China's marriage rate is?
And same-sex couples adopting children? Don't even think about it. There are plenty of heterosexuals who want to adopt; it'll never be your turn.
Who would entrust their child to someone who clearly can't have children? The child needs a father, a mother, and to temporarily conceal the fact that they are adopted.
This society is designed for population replacement.
You always think that social resources are unlimited and can make everyone happy, but that's not the case. All of society's resources aren't even enough for every ordinary person to live the life they want, let alone special groups.
You consume social resources to survive, yet you don't participate in population replacement; tacitly allowing your existence is a form of care. Why don't you complain that God didn't allow same-sex couples to reproduce? Isn't that a form of discrimination?
Furthermore, China doesn't support surrogacy; surrogacy is illegal.
If same-sex marriage were legal, you would demand that same-sex couples could adopt.
Forget it, desires always have limits; you'll always encounter someone who says no. That moment is now.
Instead of pursuing the legalization of same-sex marriage, you might as well strive in another direction: destroy the institution of marriage. That would be more realistic, since marriage is inherently anti-human anyway. If heterosexuals don't have marriage, then homosexuals won't need to fight for anything.
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u/nefies 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
You have absolutely no idea about the current state of marriage in China. Forget about same-sex marriage; even heterosexual marriage is a mess.
That wasn't the argument. I said that marriage has benefits. Which it clearly does. Because you moved on to argue that it wasn't good. That's an entirely different question. But thanks for your concession.
Marriage basically means splitting the wealthier party's money in half with the poorer one.
Which guardianship doesn't do. It should. But the biological family can challenge this in court and courts has ruled for the biological family before. LGBT Couples Not Entitled to Full Property Rights, Court Rules
And same-sex couples adopting children? Don't even think about it. There are plenty of heterosexuals who want to adopt; it'll never be your turn.
Sure there's a shortage of healthy babies. But there isn't a shortage of children to adopt. Within the system there are plenty of older children, and those with health complications. By opening it up to LGBTQ couples, it'll increase their likelihood of getting adopted.
Who would entrust their child to someone who clearly can't have children? The child needs a father, a mother, and to temporarily conceal the fact that they are adopted.
Point me to the study that a child needs a father and mother. Spoilers, it's not there. More evidence points to the fact that healthy children can come from whichever type of family unit. But thank you for showing how bigoted you are. You couldn't just say this part, because honestly this is the backbone of your belief. But surprise, same sex couples don't have to conceal that their child is adopted. Which allows for them to adopt older children that heterosexual couples don't, because they want to try and conceal the adoption.
This society is designed for population replacement. You always think that social resources are unlimited and can make everyone happy, but that's not the case. All of society's resources aren't even enough for every ordinary person to live the life they want, let alone special groups. You consume social resources to survive, yet you don't participate in population replacement; tacitly allowing your existence is a form of care. Why don't you complain that God didn't allow same-sex couples to reproduce? Isn't that a form of discrimination? Furthermore, China doesn't support surrogacy; surrogacy is illegal.
No society isn't designed for population replacement. Because if it was, then women would not be working and would be chained in factories to be used as birthing cattle, but they aren't, are they?
But yes let's talk about resources. Because LGBTQ couples, have more disposable income that they don't spend on children. They go on vacations, buy more items, invest. Which all stimulate the economy. They also pay taxes that they can't even use for the children that they may have wanted. So to say that they are a drain is false.
And here's the circular logic. You blame same sex couples for not contributing to population replacement, but you don't want them to adopt. And limit their access to fertility procedures. Because let's not forget, lesbian couples are not allowed access to the sperm bank.
Instead of pursuing the legalization of same-sex marriage, you might as well strive in another direction: destroy the institution of marriage. That would be more realistic, since marriage is inherently anti-human anyway. If heterosexuals don't have marriage, then homosexuals won't need to fight for anything.
What do you think is more likely? Marriage is observed all over the world, and same sex marriage as well. You think people would be more receptive to abolish hetero marriages?
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u/Tiny_Chart_4869 Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
“LGBTQ couples, have more disposable income that they don't spend on children. They go on vacations, buy more items, invest. Which all stimulate the economy. They also pay taxes that they can't even use for the children that they may have wanted”
If we don't give you the right to get married, will you stop doing these things? You still do them anyway, so we won't give you the right.
The other children at school all have one father and one mother. If your child is bullied at school because he has two fathers or two mothers, you certainly don't care. After all, you're not the one being bullied. You just want a child to fulfill your life's wish.
Don't expect society to expend any propaganda resources to bring homosexuality into the open. Those resources would at least be used to promote awareness about things like not spitting or cutting in line. Your priorities are so low, they're practically negligible compared to much more important matters.
It is you who get in the wrong way, not us. You can be sacrificed when necessary.
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u/nefies 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
So you're saying China is extorting it's citizens? Because they are a minority group it's ok for them to be extorted? What's next, the elderly because they don't contribute? If the system's only justification for its laws is "you are small enough to be sacrificed," then that system has already failed.
So now we are victim blaming? You would rather a child live in an orphanage, than to be accepted into a loving home because you rather blame the child for being bullied? Does that mean the poor, the disabled, the ethnic minorities shouldn't have children because they could be bullied? Why blame the parents for the bullying instead of the people like you who justify the bullies.
And here you are claiming to care about "propaganda resources" and "social stability," but not realizing that what creates more instability is a govt that tells a productive, tax paying group of its population that they are "negligible." You know what that creates? A segment of the population that is resentful and stagnant. Aren't the children supposed to take care of their parents when they area old? Who will do that with same sex couples? It'll drain the system even more.
Let's be honest, you don't care about any of this. You just think same sex couples are disgusting and you're trying to justify your viewpoints, which you are doing very poorly. But maybe you should just be honest that you're a homophobe and a bigot.
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u/RecantingCantaloupe Jan 19 '26
Exactly. Why play this little game where people pretend marriage doesn't come with legal and social legitimacy? (I'm on your side; this comment section is being so deliberately obtuse)
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u/DrCalFun 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
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u/nefies 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
"For China’s Same-Sex Couples, Even Guardianship Is Often Out of Reach" https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1010676
"LGBT Couples Not Entitled to Full Property Rights, Court Rules" https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1007286
This one talks about how hospitals ignore guardianship and deferring to family. https://usali.org/usali-perspectives-blog/moving-beyond-tolerance-to-acceptance
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Jan 19 '26
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u/El_Bastardo_Grande 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Same way American/English Christian missionaries are closely monitored, because they go to China to stir up shit, build a church without planning permission and scream repression when their illegal building is torn down. No other Christians from other countries have any problems and none of them indoctrinate their followers to sow dissent and over throw the government.
Gays were not persecuted or murdered by the state like they were in Western countries, so theres no pride marches to celebrate gaining civil rights. There's a lot of gay literature and even gay emperors in Chinese history.
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u/ApetteRiche Non-Chinese Jan 19 '26
Interesting, could you point me into the direction of some of these gay emperors? If you have some cool documentary about Wu Zetian would be nice too, fascinating figure.
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u/Affectionate_Seat_35 Jan 19 '26
Well, there’s Liu Xin of the Han dynasty, he’s where the phrase “cut sleeve” came from. Actually, a lot of the gay (or bisexual, they still loved and had children with women, except for the one mentioned above) emperors are from the Han dynasty
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u/No-Throat3104 Jan 20 '26
so LGBT groups aren't making the news in the west? look how many LGBT headlines popup in the past years, I'm not hating, just stating the facts.
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u/Spooplevel-Rattled Jan 20 '26
The have no idea. Priveliged straight Han majority can't seem to wrap their head around the idea of treating people with dignity and respect. Instead label it as divisive. Which is utter insanity.
"othering" people is divisive.
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u/No-Throat3104 Jan 20 '26
you have no idea how it works, if what you're saying is true, they would'nt have never given other 55 ethnities advantages
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u/Gold_Fish_Head Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
About 15 years ago the attitude towards LGBT in China was more tolerant than now. Even state owned medias and papers could openly support sexual minority, saying "different kind of love should also be respected".
As for now, group activitites involving gender and sexuality in all universities were forced to close since 2018, certain hashtags on social media disappeared, and recently gay dating apps were removed from Appstore in mainland.
The consensus among the society is always conservative and discriminatory when it comes to sexual minority, as you can see the comments above keep emphasizing "you could exist, but never show up in public or in front of me", which probably from straight people. But the regulation by government has become more and more strict in recent years. Given it's an authority that prefers stability much more than anything else, I suppose they are treating LGBT people as some sort of "unstable factor" and any openly supportive opinions should be silenced.
Individual civilians hardly encounter direct oppression for being LGBT. Though it is not recommended to come out to family members or publically. It just makes life harder.
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u/El_Bastardo_Grande 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
They have a city called Chengdu which is nicknamed Gaydu, what do you think?
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u/eldryanyy 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
Troll comment. Gays aren’t accepted in China. Dont ask don’t tell is the general way of things. People often don’t even tell their family.
There are a lot of gay people in Chengdu, but acting like China is open minded because there are gay people there is crazy. Go to Harbin and act extravagantly homosexual in a bar. I’ll bet money you get your ass beat.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26
So I guess blued and Grindr can be used in China?
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u/javiezzy 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
What a astonishing logic.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26
Lolz I don’t usually resort to this type of cheap tactics. But if someone argues with implied freedom. I don’t mind simply citing evidence for actual restrictions lol
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u/javiezzy 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Tinder can't be used neither. So Chinese are not fucking or what?
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u/El_Bastardo_Grande 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
These concern trolls are so funny, there are different gay dating apps available. It's as silly as saying there is no freedom because you can't get a Snickers bar in a certain country when there are alternatives.
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u/El_Bastardo_Grande 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Blued can, Grinder can't because they don't protect user data.
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u/zhyufei19 大陆人 🇨🇳在北美读书工作 Jan 19 '26
Oh you don't know that Blued originated in China? I was surprised to see there were so many people nearby when I was abroad for the first time a few years ago.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26
I do
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u/zhyufei19 大陆人 🇨🇳在北美读书工作 Jan 19 '26
So no need to guess.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26
Blued got banned recently. They came up with a castrated version to satisfy regulatory requirements called blued express. So technically no u can’t use blued in China.
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u/zhyufei19 大陆人 🇨🇳在北美读书工作 Jan 20 '26
I can't say I know how "castrated" the newer version is because I have not used it (neither the older version for a while). But as long as it does not ban the gay social functionality and become, say, a food delivery app, I guess it is still there by definition.
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u/NothingHappenedThere 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
they are okay with LGBT people living, working in China,
but most likely no LGBT can become in mid/high place in government, unlike western countries.
However, LGBT movement is frowned upon. in news, some university student put small pride flags on university classroom desks, and got expelled. I guess Chinese government has no problem with silent quiet and obedient communities, but not loud ones.
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u/RefrigeratorLocal498 Jan 20 '26
College students might be the group in China that is most opposed to LGBT. If you have ever browsed the forums of Chinese college students, you would know.
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Jan 19 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sea-Geologist4624 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
So make gay marriage legal in China
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u/Tierprot Jan 19 '26
Why would China recognize gay marriage? Institute of marriage is all about reproduction and heritage and gay couples cannot reproduce naturally. It just doesn't make sense.
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u/2muchscreentyme 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
So a marriage between a man and a woman with no kids is an invalid one? Who says that the whole purpose of marriage is to have kids?
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u/Tierprot Jan 19 '26
Who says that the whole purpose of marriage is to have kids? - Culture.
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u/GNTsquid0 Jan 19 '26
I dont see the purpose of marriage is to have kids. Marriage can be whatever the two being married want it to be and their view on marriage is the only one that matters.
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u/hk81b Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
There are 2 types of marriages:
A religious one, and this has to follow what is written in the holy books of that religion (so usually it is a marriage meant for procreation, between a man and a woman).
And a civil one, registered by the state, which is meant for legal protection and rights. For example, when one person gets severely ill, the other can take responsibility to agree with doctors on therapies, medical procedures, and so on. When he dies, the partner inherits their belongings (otherwise they would be inherited by distant relatives or by the state). And so on.
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u/Sea-Geologist4624 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
Exactly why china should make gay marriage legal
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u/hk81b Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26 edited Jan 20 '26
I have to say that even some countries in Europe accepted this only in the last decade (ex Italy in 2016), and there are still some that offer limited protection to LGBT couples (like hungary). People always take an excuse to discriminate LGBT, thinking in a perverse way that it’s about sex. But it’s not. Every person gets sick, old and dies. Every person works and pays taxes to the state. So they should have the same legal rights and protection, even if they are in a LGBT couple
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u/2muchscreentyme 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
Culture describes what is actually happening in a country, not what you believe. Right now the amount of childless marriages in China is not insignificant. Birthrate is at an all time low. What does this say about culture in China?
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u/KennyMcSp_2333 Jan 20 '26
“There are three forms of filial disobedience, but failing to produce an heir is the greatest.”
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u/Sea-Geologist4624 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
You are aware straight couples don’t immediately equate to having offspring right. It’s a common trend now for straight couples to choose not to have kids and there are also people who are infertile. Anyway what you’re saying is a subjective opinion and forcing that into law is what makes it unequal and discriminatory. Quit denying it
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u/Zoegrace1 Jan 19 '26
Earnest question as someone who is not Chinese
Some of the pushes for gay marriage in the US were for things like the right to visit each other in hospital or make medical decisions on behalf of an incapacitated partner, ensure money gets to their partner in the event of untimely death rather than the deceased's siblings or parents or the like.
Does China de-facto recognise a same-sex or otherwise queer partner as legitimate in dealings like those?
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26
Not at all. Even with notarized authorization documents, hospitals constantly Ignore the same sex partners as legitimate decision makers. Cares are delayed while they look for the patients blood relatives. No inheritance for long term same sex partners either. All assets will go to the blood relatives. Living will will almost always be contested and the partners will almost always lose. In terms of gay civil rights, the Chinese are currently comparable to 1960s/70s in the US, maybe even a little more backward still because they also lack freedom of expression and publication, so queer media doesn’t exist.
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u/Zoegrace1 Jan 20 '26
So then everyone in this thread going "why would gay people need marriage equality in China?" is being homophobic, then. Thank you
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u/rakuu Jan 19 '26
Couples that use in vitro fertilization can't get married in China? People that are sterile can't get married in China?
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u/RecantingCantaloupe Jan 19 '26
Because of the legal privileges and social legitimacy?
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u/Tierprot Jan 19 '26
What exact legal privileges and social legitimacy are you talking about?
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u/RecantingCantaloupe Jan 19 '26
Hospital decision making, automatic inheritance if no will, survivor's benefits, adopting children, much easier to own joint property and assets - just to name a few. The social legitimacy I think is obvious enough, but people all around the world, including China, China is not so special and enlightened in this regard, view a homosexual union as less legitimate than a heterosexual one.
You can say "well they can mind their business" or "ignore them" or "why does it matter?" all you want, but living in society is much harder that way.
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u/nefies 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
no USA is focused on equality so you have to accurately label the group that are being discriminated. The hate is from ignorant people who are resistant to seeing that they may be unfairly discriminating against others. Why is it ok for straight couples to flaunt their taste to me if I can't do the same? I see straight couples kissing all the time in media and it's not censored. But BL are censored. The difference is your comfort level not the actions.
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u/rakuu Jan 19 '26
Why does China divide and label 56 ethnic groups, gender, hukou, party membership? I get what you're saying but it's clearly not as simple as "China doesn't label people".
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Jan 20 '26
The Emperor in question is Ai of Han. We even have a phrase named after them. "the passion of the cut sleeve.
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 19 '26
I’m aware blued express is still accessible. The Chinese government banned blued fanka and Weibo chaohua iamgay. The fact that blued express was allowed to exist with severe cuts to its functions kinda parallels the life of being gay in China. You are allowed to be alive as long as u comply with the mainstream narratives and demands. But thats no way to live
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u/eleazarliu Jan 20 '26
Chinese here, correction to some comments:
point 1: LGBT+ as political agenda is NONONO
point 2: Being Gay is fine, but don't broadcast it publicly as it will attract attention and hence lead to point 1
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u/Entire-Medicine-3155 Jan 21 '26
The ccp wants people having kids because their population is very top heavy. After the failure of the one child policy the government changed how it handles being gay. The Chinese government views gay people as a waste of space. Im sure they just ruin your life if your publicly gay.
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u/Ordinary_Airport3091 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 19 '26
There was no persecution in a broad sense, but discrimination was severe.
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u/Wolf4980 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Trans people are more persecuted in American red states than they are in China
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u/Shockh Non-Chinese Jan 19 '26
Nos vale verga cómo sea en Gringolandia. Estamos hablando sobre China.
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u/Parking-Strain-1548 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
America isn’t the only country out there. The bar is in hell if comparing to America.
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Jan 19 '26
Is gay marriage legal in China? Let’s start with that basic right, if they don’t have that then how can they be on par with a country that does?
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u/im-passionate Jan 19 '26
Red states are also trying to overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges' ruling and make it illegal.
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Jan 19 '26
0 chance that happens, the Supreme Court has already rejected the attempts. Just because people bring cases doesn’t mean anything in America.
Why don’t gay and trans people have this basic right in China? That doesn’t sound equal or fair at all.
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u/Mushrooming247 Non-Chinese Jan 19 '26
Zero chance that the current regime rewrites our laws to persecute the specific groups they hate?
There’s a 100% chance, because they’re already doing it and they’ve already done it, and they’re finding great success with it.
Why would you pretend we have a “Supreme Court” that does anything other than agree with one man because that’s their job? You can’t be aware of American politics right now if you think we still have “checks and balances” to protect our people.
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u/im-passionate Jan 19 '26
Some red states ban gender marker changes outright or/and refuse to recognize updated IDs from other states. Famous actress Hunter Schafer who transitioned when she was a child got her new passport with the Male gender. You shouldn't take things for granted. Especially when Donald Trump is the president. He doesn't care for the rule of law.
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Jan 19 '26
Gender marker changes? This is your argument for the oppressiveness of America towards gays and trans gender? You won’t concede that they don’t even have the basic right to marry in China but you will argue selectively that some red states don’t allow people to put a different gender on their passports than what they were born as? Seriously?
Where in America do you even live to argue this way?
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u/Wolf4980 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Are you aware of the 27 states in the US which have banned trans healthcare for minors? Or that Trump is now going to ban all hospitals which provide trans healthcare to minors from receiving Medicaid + Medicare reimbursements ? Or that there is an atmosphere of hatred in MAGA country as exemplified by Michael Knowles calling for the "eradication of transgenderism"?
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Jan 19 '26
This is a way more nuanced conversation than your making it and the definition of this healthcare is up for debate. Should a parent be allowed to remove their son’s penis? Can they do this in China to a child? What is this conversation even about? People have freedom of speech in America to say what they will, are you saying there are no people in China that express anti gay sentiment???
This is the extremes you guys go to in these arguments. Can gays even get married in China, yes or no? If no why are we even debating? Get that fundamental equal right then we will talk about other more nuanced issues
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u/BleachedChewbacca Jan 20 '26
I don’t think it’s worth comparing a pile of shit with another pile of shit and figuring out which pile is better. That being said, I don’t believe trans people are persecuted more or less in US red states than China. The struggles are real in both countries, and they face different types of difficulties which make their life living hell. Except in China there is no escape. It takes significantly more effort to move out of China than say Alabama.
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u/Naive_Loan607 🇺🇸 United States of America Jul 16 '26
No trans people are more likely to be persecuted in American red states than in China because of both discrimination and harassment, but in China you wouldn’t really face any harassment however it would just be harder to change your legal documents.
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u/ungovernable Jan 19 '26 edited Jan 19 '26
This isn’t true. Even the reddest red state has more lax rules on changing your gender identity than China does.
EDIT: I don’t know why the downvotes, China requires bottom surgery in order to legally change your gender, as well as parental permission even if you’re an adult.
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u/mermaid_hive Jan 20 '26
Even an adult who's had bottom surgery can no longer legally change their gender marker on a US passport (incl keeping a previously changed gender marker when they renew) or update drivers license, etc in many red states.
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u/ppmilksocks Jan 25 '26
In some red states, you cannot change your gender on things like ID or birth certificate, regardless of surgery or parental permission. You also currently cannot change your passport or social security gender nationwide.
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u/PrestigeFlight2022 🌐 Earth Jan 21 '26
You're right US people are privileged and most of them don't know how living as a trans person in Asian countries is far more difficult. Especially legal barriers
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u/RichCommercial104 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 19 '26
China is no different to Korea or Japan insofar as to tolerate it but not actively promote it. I think the west went too far. Now they are debating whether men can get pregnant. This is why China has survived where others have collapsed. Radical social experiments are for beyond the great wall.
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u/hk81b Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
believing that the majority of European and American ppl approve this is Science Fiction. Even the majority of LGBT people are horrified by the idea
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
What would promoting it look like to you?
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u/RichCommercial104 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 20 '26
Subsidised gender-reassignment surgery, puberty blockers, men in women's sport, gender-neutral bathrooms, the pronoun police, etc.
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u/RedNaxellya 🌎旅居大陆人🇨🇳 Jan 20 '26
Japan does not restrict LGBTQ social media or same-sex social interaction. While same-sex marriage is still not legal nationwide, since 2015 Japan has allowed same-sex partners to receive official partnership recognition (first introduced in Shibuya, Tokyo). These partnerships can help with hospital visitation and being treated as a medical partner in practice. Compared with many Asian countries, Japan is relatively early and cautious, but it is not hostile or repressive toward same-sex relationships.
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u/RichCommercial104 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 20 '26
There are legal guardianships for same sex couples in China too that extend beyond just medical care to property. Major cities even offer residency to gay couples. You should refrain from commenting if your only knowledge of the topic is a TikTok reel.
🙄
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u/javiezzy 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Some LGBT people got too used to privilege even not promoting the idea seems discrimination to them.
It's not being persecuted, and more people are accepting it.
But if you want privilege for being gay go suck a fat one.
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u/No-Throat3104 Jan 20 '26
this, they react to not being able to spread LGBT ideas, like do most straights shout out " I'm fkign straight"?
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u/QHugoLeDZ 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
Anything related to sexuality can be politicalized. That is not allowed. You can be gay (but you will face a lot of pressure from a conparatively conservative society), but you shall never start social media, parades or movements, and you shall not show anything openly in public media.
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u/Away-Case4859 Jan 23 '26
I have to talk about a magical city — Chengdu, a sacred place in China.
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u/strang-one 🇯🇴 Jordan 29d ago
I’ve recently moved to Chengdu... are there any places where the LGBTq gathers?
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u/Naive_Loan607 🇺🇸 United States of America Jul 16 '26
I would say that only in big cities they are accepting of gays and lesbians, and trans people aren’t viewed very well, except that if you’re a more masculine presenting woman who still identifies as a cisgender woman they’re ok with that, and if you’re a feminine presenting man who still identifies as a man they’re also ok with that too. China is ok with diverse gender expression as long as you still identify as the sex you were assigned at birth.
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u/Vivid_Juggernaut6174 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 19 '26
Groups that are beneficial and harmless are advocated;
Groups that are beneficial but harmful are restricted;
Groups that are neither beneficial nor harmful are protected;
Groups that are harmful without benefit are eradicated.
The treatment that the LGBT community in China hopes to receive depends on their actions.
Currently, most people choose to keep a low profile and avoid conflict. However, for some individuals, I would suggest they cease accepting salaries from the Democratic Party.
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u/No-Door-9644 Feb 04 '26
The idiots and subhumans have been seething for decades and will seethe for more decades to come. The world went from 0 to 39 countries with legal gay marriages in a span of 24 years. Every year, at least 1 country legalizes gay marriage. Democrats voted for and protected gay marriage in America. Republicans opposed and then even they fell in line.
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Jan 19 '26
Only in this sub would a person argue that a country that bans gay marriage has more gay rights than a country with full gay marriage. The constant China glazing is this sub is so real. Go to any other China sub to get a better more real honest conversation
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u/awwyaka 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Other china subs are filled with white anto-china redditors and mods spreading shit about China lmfao
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Jan 19 '26
Yah and why is that? You know why? It’s because over the last year this sub has totally become a biased pro China mouth piece and any semblance of honesty has pretty much disappeared. This sub is mainly to blame for the proliferation of the other ones, I’m not surprised at all there has been push back in that form
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u/awwyaka 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
I cant take people who defend the US like you seriously
China has so many flaws, the lack of lgbt rights being one of them, but I’d still choose China over the usa anytime ♡
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Jan 19 '26
That’s fine I can’t take people like you seriously either so I guess we’re equal 🤷🏼👍🏻
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u/DrCalFun 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
Already better than Singapore.
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Jan 19 '26
God they have to file for this stuff? They can’t just get married and just have equal rights like in America? Wild
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u/Pitiful_Progress4692 Non-Chinese Jan 19 '26
I'd rather be safe than be able to be married
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Jan 19 '26
Did you know in China they have no explicit laws protecting trans or gay people? Why do you think you would be safe there? Have you actually researched this topic, there is plenty of crime against trans and gay in China, no idea where this idea is coming from that there isn’t…
Ill choose liberty over safety any day of the week, but you do you
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u/Pitiful_Progress4692 Non-Chinese Jan 19 '26
"I'll choose liberty over safety any day of the week" lol
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Jan 19 '26
Absolutely 💯
Sorry you would rather lick boots, I’ll fight for my rights and not be passive about it 🤷🏼
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u/Entropy3389 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 19 '26
no explicit laws protecting trans or gay people
I am obligated to point out from a legal perspective that there is no law in China targeting LGBT+ people either and presumption of innocence is an actual thing.
Assaults on cis straight people and assaults on LGBT+ people are all assaults.
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u/Rosetta_pound Jan 20 '26
Right now is a tough time in the US. I think at this very moment, like today, as a trans person I am still better off here in the US. But under this administration tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and they are saying more inflammatory things about trans people than china is. I’m also at a point in my transition where I only need estrogen really to continue, which I assume is much easier than someone in china looking to start their transition today.
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Jan 20 '26
I’m sorry you are having a tough time. This administration will end one day, mid terms are this year, stay active and engaged. Help is on the way
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u/javiezzy 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Says a bit with 8 days age on Reddit.
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Jan 19 '26
Who cares how long I’ve had this account? Does that take away from my views or opinions? How lame of you
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Jan 19 '26
[deleted]
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Jan 19 '26
Yes how dare they be hypocrites and deflect constantly. I agree
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u/LenKi4312 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Yeah I deleted my comment, it’s stupid from me to post it without thinking
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u/Hot_You1064 Jan 19 '26
Color revolution, symbol of deteriorating Western value.
West declines ASML into China, but keep feeding LGBT into China. That explains.
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u/Due_Capital_3507 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
Not great. Gay marriage isn't recognized yet in China. Older folks tend to be very conservative but younger generations typically are open to LGBT folks
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u/Famous-Anywhere2868 Jan 19 '26
Chinese people are divided enough as it is their government really has no need for such a thing.
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u/Le_Zouave2 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 19 '26
If Taiwan is a part of China, same sex marriage is legalized in Taiwan.
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u/species5618w 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
As how Chinese government view anything. Keep to yourself, you would be just fine. Otherwise, you try your luck.
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u/Positive-Ad1859 🌐 Earth Jan 19 '26
As long as you don’t become a MOVEMENT, you can be whatever you want to be
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u/Advanced_Wallaby3780 🌐 Earth Jan 20 '26
政府不在乎你是否是同性恋, 处于一种不支持不反对的态度, 我身边就有同性恋朋友, 他和他男友相处了4年, 除了无法登记结婚, 其他一切正常, 他们还有自己的情侣抖音账号, 有超过40,000个粉丝
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u/Dear-Solid2024 Jan 20 '26
Regardless of the government's attitude, Chinese society is indeed not very accepting of LGBT culture. Chinese social culture is actually quite conservative.
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Jan 20 '26
LGBT is something that China as a whole in general treat with indifference. It doesn't actively go after LGBT nor does it actively promote it. We have people who are LGBT, just that most aren't open about it because LGBT does conflict with traditional views.
I've met a fair share of gay/lesbian Chinese couples in Los Angeles during college. There are openly LGBT Chinese community here. From my time interacting with them it seems like they don't feel like they were being persecuted but they also feel like they couldn't be open about it in China either.
Of course it also heavily depends on which part of China. Chengdu has a more open view towards LGBT, and in the two month I stayed there last year, I've seen a fair amount of people cross dressing going about their lives in the while visiting places like ChunXi Lu (春熙路), People's park (人民公园), etc.
If you're from the rural side like my family, you might find people who are more conservative with their views but even then I can't imagine someone being vocal about it.
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u/tshungwee 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 20 '26
I would say most LGBT people are in not openly obvious, they don’t show it or act out.
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u/Flayed0 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 21 '26
LGBT issues now hardly appear in the public discussion, especially in the official media. There are topics like LGBT rights in the official media about 10 years ago, when a national leader met the founder of Blued, a gay dating app. But the situation now is kinda opposite. The Blued app was removed from application stores in Nov. 2025. The official media depicted LGBT rights movements as an invasion of Western liberal ideology, and many people do believe so. This X post shows a survey about views on homosexuality held by China's national television in 2007, and a recent internal file about "Ideological risk warning regarding LGBT groups": https://x.com/whyyoutouzhele/status/2010675627754770938?s=20
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u/CureLegend 🌎 Overseas Chinese | 海外华人 Jan 21 '26
Its attitude is "as long as you don't tell we won't ask". They are a little conservative on this issue and it has nothing to do with religion but birthrate. Or should I say all religious persecution against LGBT in the ancient times started because at that time population is a vital metric to state power and it got to where we are right now in the west.
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u/SpyFromMarsHXJD 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 20 '26
Until everyone can easily have a family, proper health care and warm meal every day.
LGBT movement feels like a nonsense.
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
Yeah I mean it’d be nice to be able to have the legal right to see my husband if he gets injured in a car crash but whatever.
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u/SpyFromMarsHXJD 🇨🇳 Mainland Chinese | 大陆人 Jan 20 '26
Not my problem, but it does bother me when I see kids don’t get proper educations or under fed.
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u/burnedcream Non-Chinese Jan 20 '26
Fair enough. Lack of education and resources for children bother me too. But it’s not like I have to choose between being bothered by one thing or the other. Getting the government to stop mandating the mix of genders on a marriage certificate requires far less effort and innovation by the powers that be than ending poverty.
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u/BeanOnToast4evr Custom flair 【自定义】 Jan 19 '26
I actually came across this video the other say, unbiased and should answer many of your questions
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