- Title: CHINA: Gay community comes out for Valentine's Day
- Date: 15th February 2011
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (FEBRUARY 14, 2011) (REUTERS) GAYS AND LESBIANS WALKING PAST AND HOLDING BOARDS GAYS AND LESBIANS ON STREET TWO LESBIANS KISSING TWO WOMEN STANDING BEHIND PICTURE OF BRIDES GIRLS HEADS SHOWING THROUGH BOARDS MAN TAKING PHOTO TWO WOMEN LOOKING AT POSTCARDS POSTCARDS SHOWING TWO MEN DRESSED AS GROOMS FAN POPO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BEIJING GAY GROUP,
- Embargoed: 2nd March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China, China
- Country: China
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVADRKSWGWYJJJSXVCQGQGK4SCXD
- Story Text: China's gay community celebrated Valentines Day on Monday (February 14) to gather support for same-sex marriage in the conservative society.
Around two dozen people gathered in Beijing's central business district, carrying boards with gay grooms and lesbian brides featuring holes cut-out for people to poke their heads through for a photo.
The photos will then be compiled into a montage to show the growing public acceptance of homosexuality, organizers said.
They also handed out postcards and red roses wrapped in a pink pieces of paper urging support for gay unions.
Same-sex marriage is forbidden in China, where for many, homosexuality is abhorrent or unknown, and parental and societal pressure keeps most homosexuals firmly in the closet.
Director of the Beijing Gay Culture Centre, Fan Popo (pron: fan puoh-puoh), said he hoped the event would increase public acceptance of homosexuality.
"Through the event, we hope we can increase the Chinese public's acceptance of homosexuality, and also hope that the government will change its policies and look more positively on homosexual marriage," he said.
Homosexuality was illegal in China until 1997, and officially a mental disorder until 2001.
Ten years on, official attitudes are relaxing, and cities like Beijing and Shanghai now have small but increasingly confident gay scenes.
But homosexuality is rarely discussed in China's strictly-controlled media and the country lacks a single openly gay mainstream celebrity.
Not everyone on the street was supportive. Some just walked past indifferent, while others ran away giggling when they saw the boards.
Twenty-nine year-old Beijing resident Shi and her friend posed for a photo, but she was not ready to support same-sex unions.
"I think it's understandable as people have different ways of thinking. But as far as I am concerned, I can't accept it," she said.
Many passers-by, most of them white collar workers in their 20s and 30s, had no problem with the idea.
"I think I can accept it. I don't have a problem with them. It is normal for two people who like each other to be together. It's okay and I am not against it," said 20 year-old Zhang Xianliang (pron: jang sien-leeang).
Later in the afternoon the same group planned to join a kissing competition outside a central Beijing mall.
Gays and lesbian enquired about taking part in the event, but organisers later cancelled it saying that couples had to one male and one female and said that other participants had dropped out of the event.
Nonetheless, gay and lesbian couples who wanted to join the competition made the most of the publicity opportunity, and kissed for the cameras and gasping crowds.
Police, aware of their intentions in advance, did not interfere.
Twenty-five year-old lesbian Guo Jin felt that their community had to be seen before it could be understood.
"In fact, there are a lot of homosexual couples just like us in society. But we don't really have a chance to show our existence to the general public. That's why we made use of the kissing competition to raise public awareness and make them realize our wide existence in the society. That's all we want," she said.
Meanwhile, the increasing popularity of Valentine's Day meant big bucks for Beijing's biggest flower market, where roses red, white and even blue with silver glitter, were selling like hot cakes.
While it is customary for men to send flowers, 25 year-old Li Dan was reversing roles this year.
"He used to send me flowers every year. But today is Monday and he is busy at the moment. So I came to buy flowers and send them to him, to show my love for him," said Li.
Not traditionally celebrated in China, Valentine's Day has become hugely popular with the younger generation since the world's most populous nation opened its door to outside influence in recent decades. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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