LGBTQ+ activists and groups in China face consistent targeting by authorities and tech platforms, both digitally and physically. The Chinese government’s claim that LGBTQ+ people do not face discrimination is contradicted by our research, which involved interviews with 26 activists from 12 provinces in China.
Legal recognition of LGBTQ+ relationships, such as marriage or de facto relationships, is still awaited in China. Transgender individuals face the most marginalization within the LGBTQ+ community. Social acceptance of LGBTQ+ people is low, with a 2015 survey revealing that only 5% of LGBTQ+ individuals in China disclosed their sexual and/or gender identity in school, the workplace, or religious communities.
Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, LGBTQ+ activists in China have faced increasing challenges. This is evident in the closure of events like Shanghai Pride in 2020 and the shutdown of LGBT Rights Advocacy China in 2021, an organization that focused on law-based campaigns. The closure of the Beijing LGBT Center after 15 years of service was a significant blow.
Approximately half of the organizations we spoke to for our research have since been closed down. LGBTQ+ activists in China must navigate a fine line between what is legal and what is considered acceptable. Chinese social media platforms are tightly controlled, with companies mandated to support online censorship. WeChat, the most popular social media app in China, actively engages in censorship.
Activists must use coded language and carefully craft their content to avoid censorship. However, even this is not always enough to prevent content from being removed or accounts from being deactivated. LGBTQ+ activist groups have experienced sudden closures of their social media accounts, despite not violating any laws. These closures often coincide with key political events.
Chinese-owned social media apps like Weibo and Douban also monitor “sensitive terms” and cooperate with government authorities. This can result in account freezing or blocking by the government, as well as shadow banning, where content is only visible to the person who posted it.
Regulatory practices, including laws and policies, further restrict LGBTQ+ groups and organizations in China. Fundraising and partnering with donor organizations, as well as raising social awareness, are constrained. The 2017 Charity Law allows registered charitable organizations to fundraise, but LGBTQ+ organizations face significant challenges in obtaining registration certificates.
Authorities can use the law to monitor and harass LGBTQ+ activists, leading to the closure of organizations. The declining birthrates in China have also added pressure, with some activists reporting pressure from the Communist Party to have children. Activists have faced various forms of repression, including passport bans.
Despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ activists in China continue to resist and prioritize the longevity of their organizations. They focus on community activities and put effort into navigating social media censorship. It is important to expose these forms of oppression to prevent them from becoming permanent fixtures in Chinese society.