Tom G. Palmer has an interesting post on China's gay scene, its connection to the development of free markets and property rights, and the efforts by U.S. fundamentalists such as Focus on the Family to thwart these new freedoms (they're in China promoting the view that homosexuality is a disease/sin that can be cured/repented). I suppose the fundies would prefer to have China go back to its communist-era anti-gay ways but leave them free to proselytize their hidebound distortion of Christianity.
More. China, of course, is still far from a land of liberty for Chinese gays and for Chinese Christians, as well as for U.S. proselytizers, some of whom may not understand that working against freedom for some results in less freedom for all.
4 Comments for “Focus on China”
posted by Richard II on
I would be somewhat cautious about calling the economic reforms in China a movement towrades free market capitalism.
It is still very much a command based economy, but one that wants the trappings of a industrial, hi-tech, consumer based society. Especially one that will keep the educated middle class away from ‘dangerous’ politics.
Having said that, their have been some good changes in both Communist China and Cuba when it comes to LGBT-rights. In China, the gay policy was best described, to me, as being; no approval, no disapproval, and no promotion.
The criminal law is gone, being gay per se is no longer a mental illness and their is a University professor who studies sexuality and has been allowed to proposed legal recognition of same-sex marriage and do some polls on public opinions.
Yet, their is no gay rights movement permitted, media censorship is common place and suppose to avoid dealing with issue — other then to use it as a smear campaign.
posted by Craig2 on
To be exact, China decriminalised male homosexuality altogether in 1998. There are thriving gay communities and social networks in Beijing, Shanghai and Szechuan, although I’d caution readers against being prone to misinterpret all behaviour by Chinese authorities as repressive.
There were reported crackdowns in Shanghai in March 2008, but reportedly too, Shanghai is developing a serious crystal meth problem, and it’s worth bearing in mind that South East Asia is one of the worlds black
spots when it comes to production
and distribution of that deadly drug. Given its depradations within western gay communities, I’m not sure that the Chinese authorities aren’t actually protecting their gay communities, if that’s true.
Craig2
Wellington, NZ
posted by arthur on
I don’t think Focus on Family will make much headway in China. The government seems to prefer the Roman Catholic Church as it has a hierarchy it can go to control its members. Not that Rome will be more helpful to the LGBT
community.
posted by Richard II on
No, homosexuality was basically dealt with as a state crime during the early days of the revolution. A model of the ‘capitalist life-style’.
After the Cultural Revolution it basically was downgraded to something along the lines of anti-social hooliganism and then formally legalized in 1997.
Just about anytime a group of Chinese gays attempt to organize, for social or political ends, they are shut down by the government.
Any social network is very much underground, except in Hong Kong or Taiwan. Their are no LGBT-political movements and little allowed for AIDS/HIV prevention.