Shanghai Surprise

There is a new wave of enlightenment sweeping over China's thriving metropolis  Shanghai,   down in a shabby well used down at the heel  hall in a predominately working class neighbourhood,  a few men slow dance together,  an unusual site, according to AFP.

Every weekend evening, men of all ages pay seven yuan,  the equivalent of  a buck, to dance and be themselves,   which is no small feat in China, where gay people  still face crushing social and family  pressure.    "If you're gay and people find out in my hometown, everything is over,"   said Leon, a 28-year-old tour guide from the eastern province of Anhui who has lived in Shanghai for 10 years,   like many,  he is  married but also has a boyfriend on the side.   "But in Shanghai, there are a lot of people like us and places like this,  it's a good city for us."

Homosexuality has long been a sensitive issue and hot topic  in China,  it was officially considered a mental disorder until 2001, however  experts  say there has been marked improvement.   "In the past, even in the early 2000s, gay bars in normal cities would often be subject to police interference,"  reports  Zhang Beichuan, a Qingdao University professor and an expert on homosexuality.    "Now the situation has changed.  One can do lots of things more openly."

Shanghai is considered by some as the main 'gay capital' of China,  a bit like a very very early San Francisco in America  or  Brighton in England.   The Chinese city boasts trendy bars, clubs and even sport teams such as swimming and volleyball squads exclusively for gay people.       The city also discreetly hosted the nation's first gay pride festival last June,  a major step forward.    Although authorities cancelled some events, they allowed most to go ahead.

Other cities in China are also slowly  opening up,  a government backed gay bar opened in December in Dali, which is a reasonable sized  tourist town in the south western province of Yunnan.   

Experts estimate there could be around  30 million gays and lesbians living in China,  which would only be around  2.3%  of the population.   Although,  that number could be just the tip of the iceberg,  tradition, pressure and homophobia all play a part in keeping gays and lesbians in the closet in the communist country.

Experts say the Chinese people's acceptance of homosexuality has increased thanks to the work done by non governmental organisations, the media, some schools and the Internet to raise awareness and understanding.    Although, many are still unable to accept it, particularly in smaller cities and in the countryside.    "The main reason lies in the fact that China really cares about continuing the ancestral line,"  said sexologist Li Yinhe, noting the impact of the country's one-child policy.   "If you don't procreate, then the family will have no descendants. In China, the term 'juehu' (without descendants) is actually a swear word."

Acknowledging this concern AFP reports, some gays and lesbians in China are marrying each other to satisfy their parents' demands.   Indeed,  one Shanghai bar even hosts special  'matchmaking' sessions for gays and lesbians to meet with a view to tying the knot, said Kenneth Tan, spokesman for Shanghai LGBT.

And while China is mainly devoid of any religious influence that could lead to anti-gay discrimination, homosexuality is still not entirely accepted politically.   In January, police cancelled the nation's first Mr Gay China beauty pageant in Beijing after it had attracted weeks of coverage both in foreign and domestic media,  as we reported here on GayAgenda.com  

Sexual health is also a big issue,   the  Chinese government has invested heavily in AIDS prevention work, especially  in the gay community, but they add that anti discrimination laws are sorely lacking.  

"We are concerned with the gays born in the 1970s and 80s, who were forced to marry straight women or are going to marry them," said Simon Tang of the Chi Heng Foundation, an AIDS prevention charity.  "They are sexually active and thus a much more dangerous group to transmit HIV/AIDS to their wives."

The tide is turning, slowly more rights, laws and protections will afforded to the gays and lesbians of China,  times are changing,   whilst for some it may seem slow,  however look how far they've come in a relatively short space of time.   Remember,  homosexuality was a mental illness less than a decade ago,  to have a thriving, bustling gay scene in Shanghai is an amazing advancement.    

Jason Shaw, Brighton, England.

GayAgenda.com's UK Correspondent.

Jason's personal blog is The Seafront Diaries,   tales from Brighton,  insular yet keeping an eye on the outside world!  A bush without a leaf a rebel without a cause.!

© 2010 Copyright Jason Shaw