Chinese LGBTQ dating apps, past and present
Gay dating apps briefly flourished in China. But many have been shut down, either for financial or political reasons. Let's have a look at some of the most influential ones.
Queer China
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Shandong ‘Rose Boy’: Student’s suicide sparks outrage over LGBTQ discrimination in Chinese schools
The recent death of a promising young dancer has highlighted the lack of safe spaces for queer youth in Chinese schools.
Two male celebrities in China kissed on livestream. Were they coming out or queerbaiting?
Chinese singer Liu Cong and social media influencer Chen Lu recently intimated they’re lovers — which would make them the first openly gay couple in mainland China’s entertainment industry. But many fans have cast doubt on the legitimacy of their relationship.
Same-sex ‘ships’ on the summer’s hottest talent show in China
‘Shipping,’ a once-niche fan fiction practice of pairing two celebrities or fictional characters in a romantic relationship, has become something of a national pastime in China this summer, thanks to a popular reality show with an all-female cast.
Taiwan withdraws from hosting WorldPride 2025 over naming dispute
A blame game involving contradictory accounts erupted after Taiwan backed out from hosting a global LGBTQ gathering due to a name dispute with the event’s licensor.
Looking back at Les+, China’s community-building lesbian zine
Many of the stories printed in Les+ from 2005 until its official suspension in 2015 showcase women's journeys of identification, their quotidian joys and struggles, and their pursuit of intimate life, while some of the special issues touch on topics that were fervently discussed by the community, recording the history of the lesbian subculture of those years.
The rise and fall of LGBTQ student groups in China
Two students at Tsinghua University were recently issued disciplinary warnings after distributing rainbow flags on campus. It's part of a trend: the space for LGBTQ activism in China is rapidly shrinking.
China’s ban of LGBTQ content in movies didn’t begin with ‘Lightyear’
In China, censorship of LGBTQ content in imported movies has been going on for years. But within the country, queer-themed films continue to be produced.
Drag queens and crossdressers: Where straight and queer meet on the Chinese internet
The presence of drag queens and crossdressers who identify as straight on the Chinese internet is seen as a symbol of LGBTQ representation, helping cultivate tolerance and acceptance. It is also a reminder that Chinese society’s relationship with “queer” is more complicated than meets the eye.