Gay pride celebrates in Shanghai

Steve Holland

Last Updated: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 11:09:00 +1000

What is believed to be China's first gay pride festival is taking place this week in Shanghai.

But there will not be a parade, after the organisers were advised such an event may get them into trouble with Chinese authorities.

Homosexuals have traditionally been shunned by China's conservative mainstream society.

In Shanghai, home to what is reportedly a significant gay population, homosexuals keep in touch and informed through online forums or websites, or through internet television shows.

Hooliganism

But life appears to be changing for gays in China.

Gay sex was punishable under so-called "hooliganism" laws until 1977.

It was also classified as a mental illness until 2001.

But now comes the Shanghai festival, a week-long event featuring film screenings, art exhibitions and talks.

Lawyer

But there will be no parade - usually a feature of western gay pride events.

One of the two American organisers of the festival, Hannah Miller, says they consulted a lawyer about such things as a march, and the best ways to avoid unwelcome attention from authorities.

"He suggested we do all of the promotion in English," she told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program.

"The advantages of that are that it won't draw so much attention, and it won't seem that we are trying to reach out to the Chinese people and get them involved in a gay rights process or any sort of protest or anything like that."

Foreigners

David Goodman, professor of Chinese at Sydney University in Australia, acknowledges such a festival "certainly wouldn't have happened some time ago".

But he is hesitant to say it reflects bigger change in Chinese society, given that a large proportion of foreigners are involved.

As to whether it indicates progression or change - even without a parade - the academic says: "I am not sure this shows a march of Chinese society. This shows a march of the way in which expatriates organise inside China."