So there is a new PSA making its rounds around chinese social media these days. It’s a PSA supporting the LGBT community and it’s well done.
(Youtube video. If you in China, check out the youku version.)
I’m really glad this is getting more talked about. Just like in the west, the attitude towards gays is slowly changing, but it is still much further behind. In my school there are many openly gay students. When I first arrived, and for the first few years, I didn’t have any openly gay students. (Statistically I must have had some, right?) But now I have several, mostly girls, and in my personal life I have many gay Chinese friends, mostly guys.
And it’s been really interesting to talk to them and hear what they have to go through. For most of my students they don’t hide it, and all the other students know, but they don’t tell all their teachers and they keep it totally hidden from their parents. And unfortunately, a few of the girl have told me that despite their orientation they’ll marry guys in the future, “to satisfy their parents.”
My male gay friends have a bit more freedom. Being guys they can use China’s gender imbalance to their favor (“Sorry mom and dad, not enough girls in China!” is an easy excuse) but so far, their parents are still in the dark. They’re older, one is almost 30, the other mid 20’s, and they have pressure. One might cave in. There are an estimated 16 million women married to gay guys, and there’s even a website for gays to find people of the opposite sex for purposes of marrying them to please their parents. (Then all they do is pay a doctor to fake a test that says the male is impotent and kids are off the table.)
One of my friends isn’t going to get married, and will one day tell his parents. But they own the house he lives in and he is certain they will kick him out when he comes out. So he’s saving his money and will wait to tell them until he buys his own place. (The whole situation makes me sad but I am happy that he will eventually tell them so he doesn’t have to live a lie.) My female students still have time, 4-5 years until the pressure to marry gets overwhelming, and who knows? Maybe that will be enough time for the more liberal of parents to have an open mind.
This first PSA is a big step towards public acceptance and I can only hope this will encourage discussion and more PSA’s and acceptance of all lifestyles in the future.
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