Chinese gay and lesbian activists take to the streets

Chinese gay and lesbian activists take to the streets

from:St. Valentines Day  February 14, 2009

Thirty Chinese gay and lesbian activists gathered near Tiananmen Square in Beijing to stage a mock wedding photo session Saturday, hoping to win support for same sex marriage in the conservative society. The demonstration drew gasps, smiles and an occasional scowl from passers-by but police did not interfere.

For some in Beijing's gay and lesbian community, Valentine's Day is not just a day to celebrate loving relationships, but also an ideal time to campaign for same-sex marriages and the acceptance of homosexuality in China

Chinese gays and lesbians took to the streets on Saturday hoping Saint Valentine's Day would help them attract support for same-sex marriage in the conservative society. 

Thirty people gathered on a street in the Chinese capital, close to Tiananmen Square and its stern portrait of Mao Zedong, to hold mock wedding photo sessions. They drew gasps, smiles and an occasional scowl from passers-by. Organisers said similar events took place in three other cities. 

Their goal was to win more acceptance in a nation that has long frowned upon open displays of sexuality. Campaigners gave out roses and a slip of pink paper urging support for same-sex marriage. 

Police did not interfere. Same-sex marriage is forbidden in China, where for many homosexuality is abhorrent or unknown. 

"A lot of people around me don't see the gay community, they don't even know there are any of us around. They think we are very seductive and strange," said one participant, a student who used the name Dana. 

 

"Through today's event I want to tell everyone that there are a lot of us around them, they just can't see us, and that we are the same as everyone else," she said. 

With official attitudes relaxing, cities like Beijing and Shanghai now have small but increasingly confident gay scenes. 

Zhang Yi, one of the men who posed for wedding snaps, said: "I think that coming here and taking these wedding photos is for fun and a chance for everyone to come into contact with and understand us. But everything needs time." 

One onlooker, 19-year-old student Cheng Xiaojiao, said the gathering was a brave gesture. 

 "I see no problem. I already have a lot of friends and acquaintances like them. We shouldn't judge them, everyone has their own way of life," she said. 

But Jia Junfeng, a legal worker, said: "I personally do not support this kind of marriage because I think it is in conflict with Chinese morality." 

新聞大概的意思是在昨天（2.14）情人節當天，有30個gay/lesbina在天安門廣場上舉行了模擬婚禮，以此來表達支持同性婚姻。當然，路人有的微笑對待，也有的不理解，但警察並沒有進行干預。除了北京，上海等幾個大城市都有類似活動。

 文章還訪問了幾個參與活動的人士，他/她們說：很多人不知道身邊有這群人的存在，感覺很陌生。他/她們就是想通過這次活動表達，其實我們（gay/lesbina）跟普通人一樣，就存在我們身邊。

其中一個叫Zhang Yi的男生說，我覺得這次模擬婚禮拍照活動很有趣，給了其他人了解他們的機會。當然，一切都需要時間。

一個路過的19歲學生Cheng Xiaojiao說他/她們很勇敢，不認為同性戀有什麼問題。而且她有不少朋友就是gay/lesbina。我們不會覺得有什麼問題，她們不過選擇她們自己的道路。

當然，也有法律學者不支持這種婚姻模式，因為她認為這是與中國傳統道德違背的。
——————————————————

同一則新聞：

京城「同志」公開拍婚照

【本報北京新聞中心記者王玨14日電】「人生來平等，愛無關性別，我們也想和心愛的人白頭偕老，一生一世，也希望擁有一紙婚書，世人共鑒。」北京的情人節，兩對身著盛裝的同性戀情侶在繁華的前門大街當街拍攝結婚照，並和其他十幾位「同志」向路人派發玫瑰，呼籲社會包容和支持同性婚姻。 

　「情人節是情侶約會的日子。但是，中國的同性戀者很多不敢在這一天和戀人公開約會。因此，我們希望通過這樣的行動能讓社會看見我們，並聽到我們的聲音，我們也希望擁有陽光下的愛情。」24歲的「新娘」丹娜說。 

　另一對愛侶是男「同志」—25歲的海北和小章。小章對記者說，「和世俗的情侶一樣，我們發自內心地希望能和有情人終成眷屬，能拍真正的結婚照。也許到我們老了，也等不到同性婚姻可以獲法律承認的那一天。但是我們站出來了，告訴社會這個群體不是少數人。」