Protest in China, by LottD vis Weibo
After an international backlash, China’s version of Twitter, Sina Weibo, decided to reverse their ban on “gay content.” Hundreds of thousands of Chinese users spoke out against the ban, and the oppressive move got international attention. Often, people don’t give internet-based activism any credit for making a difference. However, LGBTQ people and their allies in China, as well as activists, bloggers, and journalists from all over the globe, made a difference over the weekend. In an announcement today, Sina reversed their decision to remove and ban all gay related content from their microblogging service. However, this is far from the end of the fight.
China’s Attitudes Towards LGBTQ People
Unfortunately, LGBTQ people still have a lot to fight for in China. They don’t have the same marriage rights, protection from discrimination, or adoption rights as heterosexual people. On top of that, China’s older generations still have qualms about LGBTQ people. They don’t understand that being gay is not a sickness, disease, or mental illness. Education on the topic is—unfortunately—mostly spread by LGBTQ people needing to explain who they are to their families.
Homosexuality has only been legal in China for about 21 years now. Before that, it was a crime to be gay. Fortunately, the country no longer criminalizes being born, but attitudes aren’t shifting fast enough. Recently, a popular film festival in Beijing dropped Call Me By Your Name, a movie featuring a same sex romantic relationship. We still have a long way to go.
LGBTQ Rights Worldwide
LGBTQ people are still targets for oppression worldwide. In Russia, public displays of affection can be met with arrests and assault. Russia completely banned LGBTQ movies and media. In Chechnya, part of Russia, police rounded up and tortured over 100 gay men, with no response from the Kremlin or action from the United States.
Speaking of the United States, the Trump administration has backed legalizing discrimination against LGBTQ people, laws against allowing transgender children to use the correct bathrooms in school, and a ban on transgender troops. On top of that, the Vice President has supported conversion therapy (psychological and physical torture to try to—unsuccessfully—change a person’s sexuality), and every single cabinet pick and appointment from Donald Trump has been staunchly anti-LGBTQ. His Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch, had even ruled against a transgender woman who was discriminated against at work. Trump’s latest Secretary of State pick does not believe same sex marriage should be legal, and does not support LGBTQ rights in domestically or internationally.
Heading the Wrong Direction
Bermuda recently pulled back LGBTQ rights in the country, banning same sex marriage after it had already been legalized. The U.K. has seen a backlash against transgender rights. There is hope though. Australia recently started allowing same sex marriage, Canada has taken measures to protect LGBTQ rights, and Portugal has made advancements for transgender people. However, internationally, situations have been getting darker for LGBTQ people. Oppressive governments, right-wing provocateurs, and authoritarians are cracking down on LGBTQ rights during a conservative nationalist wave hitting Europe and the United States. It’s never been more vital to stand up against hate.
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