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Why China Keeps Changing Its Mind on LGBTQ Rights

klaize

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China’s treatment of those apart of the LGBTQ community is complex to say the least. The country is often portrayed as being less progressive, but is that really the case?
Timestamps

0:00 Intro
1:01 Chinese People’s Support for the LGBT
9:07 Chinese Governments View on LGBTQ Rights
15:19 Struggles of the LGBTQ Community in China
19:25 Why the Government Remains Anti-LGBTQ (on paper)
24:06 Outro

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References (Academic papers and Web Articles)
Meyer, I. Li, H. Bouton, L. Hong, A. Pachankis, J. 2024. 中国大陆对 LGBTQ 群体的正面态度. [online] Available at: https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.ed...
Liu, C. 2023. Gender Differences in Attitudes towards Homosexuality in China. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.54097/pnjsp094
Luo, M, Li, T, Shi, J. 2022. Sociology of homosexuality in twenty-first-century China. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0268580922113...
Chen, M. 2024. Homo(sexual) socialist: Psychiatry and homosexuality in China in the Mao and early Deng eras. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0424.12743
Cui, L. Burford, J. 2025. Institutional Heteronormativity, Hegemonic Masculinity, and Soft Resistance: Gay Academics’ Experiences in Chinese Academia. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-025-10...
Li, X, Hu, K. 2024. The Influence of Media Democracy on Attitudes towards Homosexuality in Taiwan and China. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.1163/24688800-2024...
Wang, L. 2025. Reading Homosexuality through Textuality: A Study of Chinese Translations of Call Me by Your Name in Taiwan and Mainland China. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.14456/nvts.2025.12
Jiang, Y. Yang, F. 2022. Bridge of Rainbow: Association Between Internet-Based Social Media Use and Homosexuality Inclusion in China. [online] Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.88...

Additional Sources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/...

Visual sources:
JGAO’s vid on China’s pre-prepared meals The Nemesis Of Pre-prepared Meals
Aini’s vid on China’s ban on effeminate men Exploring chinese masculinity (and china's...
OutChina’s vid on How elderly people in China feel about LGBT How do the Chinese Elderly feel about LGBT...
SCMP’s vid on Chengdu How Chengdu became known as China’s ‘gay c...
ABC Australia’s vid on Deeply Conservative China Being Gay In Deeply Conservative China | F...

BGM:
NJZ - Ditto NewJeans (뉴진스) 'Ditto' Performance Video
NJZ – Zero NewJeans (뉴진스) 'Zero' Official MV
Red Velvet – Bad Boy Red Velvet 레드벨벳 'Bad Boy' MV
Hunter x Hunter – Kingdom of Predators Hunter x Hunter 2011 OST 3 - 1 - Kingdom o...
Hunter x Hunter – Hunter X Hunter 2011 - Zoldyck Family (Qua...
The Apothecary Diaries - Flower in the Snow Flower in the Snow (from "The Apothecary D...
Genshin Impact – Lovers’ Oath Lovers' Oath
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Title Theme The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Tit...
Inuyasha – Futari no Kimochi Inuyasha OST - Futari no Kimochi (Extended)
Severance – Title Theme Severance - Official Intro Title Sequence ...
Mozart – Lacrimosa Mozart - Lacrimosa
Dress to Impress – Lobby Theme "Lobby Theme" from Dress To Impress
Inuyasha – Sango Inuyasha OST 1 - Sango
Olivia Marsh – 42 Olivia Marsh - 42 (Memoir)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - Multiple OST's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky F...
Loona – Heart Attack [MV] 이달의 소녀/츄 (LOONA/Chuu) "Heart Attack"
Wonder Girls – Rewind Rewind
Porter Robinson – Lionhearted Porter Robinson - Lionhearted ft. Urban Cone
Twice – Fancy TWICE "FANCY" M/V

Thanks again for watching and I hope you have a great week! ☀️

Tags:
video essay, cultural commentary, social commentary, internet analysis, analysis video, Chinese society explained, lgbt china, lgbtq rights, jin xing, mdzs, arcane, tfboys, mo dao zu shi, lgbtq community, gay marriage, queer, trans rights china, chengdu, danmei, East Asian culture, China, East Asia, storytime documentary, China explained, aini, jgao, dumanity, klaize

20 Comments

@klaize_ Creator 10 months ago Pinned

Play War Thunder now with my links, and get a massive, free bonus pack including vehicles, boosters and more on PC and consoles: https://playwt.link/klaize | Mobile: https://wtm.game/klaize

@Beauweir 10 months ago (edited)

19:39 Best meme I saw recently said: "I'm bisexual because the Bible says 'Adam and Eve, not Adam or Eve' 😂

@prawnsmorning8236 10 months ago

As a Chinese queer, this is by far one of the most comprehensive studies on lgbt in china to this date on YouTube

@Shot5hells 10 months ago

"thus, for many, the city of chengdu offers room to exist, which ultimately changes lives. Similarly, in air combat..." is a hilarious transition to a war thunder ad

@Grayson_Wu 8 months ago

It's difficult to gauge how much support there is for homosexuality among young people in China, because, for example, on Bilibili, whenever a video even slightly hints at the legalization of same-sex marriage in China, the comments section is overwhelmingly against it. However, if a video shows two men or two women kissing, the comments are full of respect and well wishes. I really can't figure out what the general sentiment is among young people.

@williambbq 10 months ago

17:10 Can't believe the CCP said "we need more tops"

@SandroningOn 10 months ago

No Gay marriage, not illegal in general, inconsistent media representation, a quasi-loophole to some benefits of marriage, all packaged up in a culture of general bigotry outside some specific metro areas?

Welcome back 2007 united states lol

@SomasAcademy 10 months ago

Interestingly, the use of "guardianship appointment" as a substitute for marriage among gay people in China is a bit similar to how gay men in Europe would sometimes legally adopt their lovers in the 18th century.

@honeysana672 7 months ago

i think an important figure for trans people as well is that in order to be greenlit for bottom surgery, you need a parent's approval no matter what age you are. this is because chinese parents have harrassed doctors who perform these surgeries, some even going as far to try to kill them. so, for many transgender individuals, a full legally recognized transition is not possible. couple this with the fact that in work and school (two areas of life that chinese people spend the most time in), you are consistently misgendered through legal paperwork to apply for these jobs so these jobs know your gender on your national id, and gendered areas such as bathrooms/lockerrooms/classrooms, it's not a pleasant experience and many chinese people do not understand transgender identities at all. there's a huge lack of education in this regard, as i think it is in most countries. ontop of this, in china hormone therapy is not easily obtainable. most people go through alternative channels to find gender-affirming medication, or have family members who are supportive help them secure the proper medication. transgender individuals absolutely have it hardest in the LGBTQIA+ community in china, as they are not recognized nearly as easily, and their experience as a transgender person affects their every day experience negatively. many are stuck cross-dressing, as they are in unsupportive families and cannot risk the social ostracization and discrimination but still want to express their identity. i hope things change soon. beijing used to be home to the largest LGBT center in china with lots of investment in gender-affirming care and helping people who come from unsupportive families. i hope this comes back.

@genevievelok9496 10 months ago (edited)

“Which has even been confirmed by the author herself”

Yeah having the characters bone so hard they break a tub’ll do the trick 😂😂😂

@vbuvl 10 months ago

"not to go full conspiracy, probably just meant that some closeted homophobic republican politicians didn't want their stuff leaked in china" your timing is immaculate LMAO

@ballyhigh11 10 months ago

I went to Chengdu years ago with work. By far the friendliest city I've been to in China. My colleague from Beijing said the people there were famous for being friendly and fun loving, so it makes sense that it's a good place for the LGBTQ community. Oh and Sichuan food is AWESOME.

@helenaevaine1426 6 months ago

I mean, in a way, mdzs was censored as well. It was fairly obvious they are gay but the actual love confession and kissing scenes from the books were left out

@kendellfriend5558 10 months ago

On douyin, theres a lot of lgbtq chatrooms too. Theres also a taiwanese BL called "revenge love" but the actors are mainlanders. When one of the actors returned to Fujian,the moment his plane landed, the entire plane tried to take pictures with him and meet him. The whole plane! 😂

@jgao1999 10 months ago

We're making it outta the firewall with this one

@interestingtimes1812 10 months ago

If u will be accused of "pro-China propaganda" in this video, that will be peak irony.

@ArbitrarilyStooped 5 months ago (edited)

I was told by someone who lives in China that the biggest obstacle for gay rights in China isn't the government, it's the fact that there is such a disproportionately high number of seniors.

He also pointed out that when it comes to conservatism generally, not just on the gay issue, a lot of it is driven by the fact that a large percentage of people have started in rural areas and because of that they don't always have urban sensibilities even if they live in highly urban areas.

He predicted that there will be a generational change when the older generations start to age out, but he also said that trans rights have a harder challenge due to panics over secrecy which is a self reinforcing problem.

@Radhaun 10 months ago

It will never not be funny to me that, seemingly regardless of country, the leaders claiming that men should be "strong", "muscular" and other such stereotypes are themselves often quite flabby or thin and usually almost the opposite of the ideals they espouse. (It's happening in the US too with our leadership trying to bring back physical standards for schools they themselves couldn't pass).

@elizakeating8415 10 months ago

11:51 For clarification, while it's open knowledge that mo dao zu shi (the novel) is about a gay relationship, "the untamed", the TV show adaptation of it you mentioned DOES censor the relationship