Chinese police raid gay culture festival

BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese police shut down the opening of
a gay and lesbian culture festival on Friday, an action
participants said highlighted deep-rooted intolerance toward
homosexuality.

The festival was to be a weekend of films, plays,
exhibitions and seminars on the issue of homosexuality, but
police raided the opening reception on Friday night and
participants said they were still negotiating on whether any of
the events could go ahead.

“They didn’t have permission to hold this event,” said a
police official surnamed He.

But participants said the real issue was the subject
matter.

“The attitude in China is still very conservative. They say
it’s illegal, but what’s illegal about wanting to understand
more about these issues?” asked a film student surnamed Cui.

“They are just conformists, not pluralists. They don’t
tolerate dissent,” said another student, 24-year-old Xiao Ming.

Homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder in China
until 2001 and even state media have reported the heavy
pressure gays are under to stay in the closet because of
traditional beliefs that homosexuality is immoral.

A gay-themed film festival was forced to shift from its
venue at Beijing University earlier this year under pressure
from police. Friday’s event had also moved venues at the last
minute, probably in an effort to avoid being shut down.

“The police think it’s a bad influence. But it’s obviously
discrimination,” said Zhao Yongliang, among participants who
retreated to a nearby restaurant after the raid.

Police also briefly detained a journalist covering the
event, demanding, “Are you gay?.”

This year, Shanghai’s Fudan University launched two courses
on homosexual health and research to try to shatter common
stereotypes about homosexuals, but Zhao said many gays in China
still did not talk about their sexual orientation.

“Most are still a secret but it’s a secret that gets bigger
and bigger,” he said.