Introduced earlier this month, the draft fails to specify which garments might be prohibited, though violations could lead to up to 15 days of detention and fines of up to 5,000 RMB (681 USD). This comes on the heels of various regulations concerning personal style, such as measures against “effeminate styles” among broadcast artists and a crackdown on tattoos. The proposed amendments also hint at restrictions on content perceived to undermine China’s national spirit.

Online, the response has been mixed, with concerns arising about the vague nature of the proposed text. Professor Tong Zhiwei of East China University of Political Science and Law as well as Professor Lao Dongyan from Beijing’s Tsinghua University have both expressed reservations. The former highlighted potential issues with arbitrary enforcement, while the latter voiced concerns about state overreach into individual clothing choices.

The discussion around the proposed amendments coincides with a time when clothing choices have taken on significant political connotations in China, especially those associated with traditional Japanese outfits. The Hanfu movement, promoting pre-Qing dynasty attire, has been seen as Chinese youth. Conversely, garments like kimonos, representing Japanese culture, have faced backlash due to rising nationalist sentiments.

Recent incidents, such as a Chinese anime fan being detained for wearing a kimono in 2022, have ignited debate on social platforms like Weibo. Users are now questioning how the new amendments, if passed, might affect those donning international or historically significant outfits. Many call for more clarity in the proposal, emphasising the importance of detailed guidelines.

While it is still unknown whether the newly proposed amendment will truly pass, China now finds itself in the heat of a debate concerning cultural preservation, nationalism, and freedom of expression.

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Fans shared their experiences on social media, revealing that they were prevented from donning rainbow-themed shirts within the venue. Several attendees recounted their encounters with security guards who instructed them to either conceal rainbow designs or change out of rainbow-patterned clothing. One individual shared that they were asked to reverse their rainbow-printed shirt to hide the imagery, while another attendee’s colour-changing shirt triggered a security intervention. Despite inquiries, security guards offered no explanation for the apparel ban.

Although attendees at A-Mei’s subsequent concert on Sunday reported no rainbow imagery, some speculated that heightened awareness following Saturday’s incident might have influenced this outcome. The setlist also saw adjustments, omitting A-Mei’s song “Rainbow”, which typically conveys queer themes. This shift was paralleled by the removal of rainbow visuals from the background of another song.

Pop star A-Mei herself is renowned for championing LGBTQ rights. She became Taiwan Pride’s first ambassador in 2007 and has organised events supporting same-sex marriage and equality.

This incident serves as another indicator of the escalating pressure faced by the LGBTQ community in China. Despite President Xi Jinping’s push for traditional gender and sexual identity norms, LGBTQ groups continue to be suppressed. In 2021, multiple LGBTQ-affiliated WeChat accounts were shut down, and a significant LGBTQ centre shut its doors after 15 years. The crackdown also led to the cancellation or postponement of multiple Pride-related events.

While some individuals in China perceive LGBTQ as products of Western influence, the suppression of rainbow imagery stands in stark contrast to the active promotion of gay rights by embassies in Beijing. As such, the situation underscores broader tensions over LGBTQ rights and expression within the nation.

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Aptly named “Let’s Get Beautiful Together Queen!”, the title of the theme just so happens to share the same acronym as ‘LGBTQ‘. On January 20, the festival organised a surprise film screening of a Chinese short film entitled “Will You Look At Me” which will be screened again during the festival on February 8. According to the festival’s social media, the Chinese short film about a queer person and their mother is a 2022 Short Film Golden Palm winner of the Cannes Film Festival.

Apart from the film screenings, a podcast was also launched to discuss queer culture in depth and increase awareness of the community. In addition, the festival also launched exclusive merchandise available for purchase on its website, from tote bags to lighters and stickers.

The organisers of the event aim to help connect society with its films and hopefully create a greater understanding of the community that could help fight against discrimination.  “Queers have stories to tell, different ones. It […] needs to be told and heard. Stories help us to understand each other, and cinema visualizes stories,” stated the festival’s introduction on its website.

Although China has heightened its censorship of LGBTQ references in foreign movies in recent years, domestic filmmakers continue to create queer-themed movies. Unable to secure screenings in theatres, their work is often shown at local and global film festivals. A pioneer of this movement is the longstanding Beijing Queer Film Festival. Founded in 2001 and still running, the festival name has been rebranded as Love Queer Cinema Week (爱酷电影周 Ài kù diànyǐng zhōu).

By focusing on independent queer film screenings and cultural exchange activities, such film festivals hope to expand public discussions on sexuality and gender by giving a platform to diverse LGBTQ+ voices from China and beyond.

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• China’s LGBT+ market has a lot of untapped potential with more than 70 million people in the community.
• Due to strict censorship laws, companies looking to carve out a slice of the country’s pink economy must tread carefully when it comes to marketing.
• Subtlety and creativity are key to captivating the heart of the community while avoiding legal backlash as shown in Budweiser’s subtle yet effective “Eyes Talk” campaign.

Budweiser recently joined hands with the Chinese edition of British gay lifestyle magazine “Attitude” in its 2022 Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) campaign. 

In its three-part video series entitled “Eyes Talk”, the American beer brand harnesses the power of eye contact to tell stories of love – two of which shine the spotlight on LGBT+ couples. The advertisement encourages its youthful audience to embrace their true selves and love whomever they want.

In each of the three short video clips, no words were spoken between the couples. Instead, their eyes did all the talking. The first clip shows the subtle eyes of love at first sight, in which a young woman exchanges a brief glance with a woman sitting on the outdoor patio of a restaurant. The second clip unveils the eyes of heartbreak as a young, heterosexual couple struggles through a breakup. Finally, the third clip follows the observant eyes of a young male photographer who gleefully takes portraits of his secret crush.

Marketing the Rainbow in China

It’s estimated that the Chinese LGBTQ community numbers more than 70 million, representing a $300 billion opportunity across industries, and Attitude’s editor-in-chief Tang saw the potential in the sector.

To avoid potential censorship over LGBTQ content in China, as sexual orientation is still not a publicly discussed topic, the Chinese edition of Attitude magazine focuses on the broader concept of diversity, lifestyle content, talent showcase and success stories.

“Normalising the Chinese LGBTQ community in a constructive manner will be its main goal in the next few years.”

Fan Li, Attitude China’s editor-in-chief

“Our editorial mission is that we want to show our friends and family, and maybe everyone else, that our community in many ways is no different from the rest of Chinese society. We share the same values, we pursue the same goals and we enjoy the same things. We are not all party animals, and not all of us dress in particular fashions,” he said.

Likewise, the American beer brand has long been a proponent of LGBT+ rights since the mid-90s. In terms of China, however, Budweiser has had to find creative ways to navigate the current censorship laws in place against LGBT+ content. The “Eyes Talk” series serves as a continuation of Budweiser’s “all is love” campaign which began with subtle bottle advertisements in 2019.

Brewing a premium beer economy in China

According to industry analysts, Chinese consumers are drinking less but higher-quality beer. Compared to the average bottle priced at 5-10 RMB ($0.72 to $1.43), a premium bottle would cost anywhere from 10 RMB ($1.43) and higher.

“Today we estimate that there is only 16% of the total beer consumption in China that is premium or super-premium,” Jan Craps, co-chair and chief executive of Budweiser APAC, said.

Currently, craft brewing remains a tiny fraction of China’s beer market when compared to the U.S. Craft makes up nearly 27% of beer sales in the U.S, but in China it was still only below 3% by 2019. Despite this, however, Budweiser still stands as Asia’s largest beer company by sales. The beer brand plans to promote more high-end beer in China, having seen strong demand from its consumers.

Over the past few years, the Chinese beer market has matured greatly with importation growing by double digits in the last five years. Currently, China represents 12% of beer sales globally and has a market size value of $121.4 billion as of 2022. It is the largest market in the world, ahead of the United States by almost $10 billion.

In 2022, Budweiser reported a decline in total sales in China by 6.5%, while revenue decreased by 4.7%. However, the financial report attributed this move to the company’s continued strategy of premiumisation, or prioritising sales of higher-end (and more expensive) beer. In fact, the proportion of high-end and ultra-high-end beer is expected to increase to 20% by 2025.

Overall, Budweiser’s Eyes Talk campaign shows a creative way in which a company can target the LGBT+ community in China without making waves politically. Moreover, it communicates well with its youthful Gen Z target audience who are more progressive than their previous generations. 

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The genre was created to target a heterosexual female audience and is seeing a growing appetite in China. While digital advancements have naturally fuelled the penetration of this subculture amongst China’s tech-savvy generations, the rise in awareness of LGBTQ+ rights in recent years at home has also accelerated the wider acceptance of this content in a more open demographic.

Founded in 2014 and acquired by Bilibili who has a strong beat in ACG (anime, comics and games), MissEvan (also known as Mao Er FM or Cat Ears FM in China) soon emerged as the go-to pastime for China’s post-95s and post-00s, due partly to China’s increasing interest in audio-based content such as podcasts and radio dramas.

The platform’s large selection of audio novels that include overt depictions of same-sex relationships has become another appeal to the young audience. As a result, MissEvan has also grown into an online hub for China’s queer community, drawing in a unique user base of young women aged between 20 and 30 years old who are loyal Danmei consumers.  

The action on 23 August arrived just days after the first removal of several other Danmei radio dramas by the platform. On both occasions, MissEvan attributed the removal to “technical issues” with no specificity when questioned about when the content will be available again.

Public outcry poured in as the news broke, propelling the hashtag “Mao Er taken down” to garner 440 million views on China’s largest microblogging site on Weibo in a matter of hours. The official explanation was met with objections, and the public has been speculating that the message of same-sex relationship content goes against China’s attempts to boost birth rates, resulting in the ban. However, arising arguments are saying, “for those who don’t want children, they wouldn’t give birth regardless”.

Others have been critical of this “radical” approach and a lack of transparency in regulations, indicating overregulation on the entertainment industry, which “has deprived the public’s needs for hobbies”. The removal has also raised questions around China’s sex education, which is far from sufficient as suggested by the controversy itself.

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This follows in the footsteps of Nike’s world debut of their first gender-neutral store in the Korean capital city of Seoul earlier this July, which provides visitors with a novel shopping experience that blends retail therapy with art installations, augmented reality, and a content studio where a customisable background has been installed for shoppers to create content for social media posts.

Apart from being “a remixed expression of sports retail culture that blurs the line between physical and digital”, the store is also designed to erase the boundary between male and female in sportswear, a nod to the concept of “a unique sports lifestyle for all”.

To launch the concept store in China would be a timely shrewd step by Nike given the country’s young people, mostly, post-95s who have started to embrace gender-neutral clothing in recent years.

This is partly due to the rising awareness of gender equality fuelled by social movements pushing for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights amongst young Chinese. Such a societal dynamic has also been reflected in the country’s fashion with “de-gendering” being one of the emerging consumer trends in China’s Gen Z demographics.

China’s gender-neutral fashion market sector was reported to have seen an increase of 340% in 2021, according to a report by China’s leading business data analytics platform CBNData. Moreover, women have turned out to be the backbone of the genderless apparel market with a consumption rate growing by 468%, twice as fast as that of their male counterparts.

In addition, the emerging fashion trend has also been gaining traction in China’s digital space with Xiaohongshu, China’s biggest lifestyle sharing platform reporting doubled growth of posts under the tag of “gender-neutral fashion”, which is mostly driven by the young dwelling in China’s major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, where people are more open to embracing new ideology regarding gender identity.

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There are an estimated four million people in China who identify themselves as transgender. Recently, there was a short documentary released in Beijing called ‘A Day of Trans‘, depicting the changes of four Chinese transgender individuals across generations.

Directed by a Chinese transgender independent filmmaker, the documentary offered a nuanced perspective of each journey these individuals have experienced. More importantly, the film highlights the different views and opinions on transgender people between the generations within society. As society has progressed, the younger generation has been able to utilise technology, such as the social media platform Weibo, to openly express themselves. Unlike the generations before them, for whom it was more difficult to connect with the community, due to the lack of opportunity to express their voice as in today’s millennial pop culture.

Indeed, one example that is highlighted in the documentary shows the progress of society’s views on transgender people in the court case of Mr. C. In 2016. Mr C. went to court against his employer, for discrimination regarding his gender identity, and won the case. This proved to be a pivotal judgment in Chinese transgender history, as it further solidified the identification of the transgender community in Chinese society. This is a vital component of any transgender movement, with visibility and acknowledgment currently the most important step forward.

Yet, that is not to say there is no backlash against this community, as many do get bullied. The documentary explains that most Chinese people don’t have a clear perception or knowledge of what defines a transgender state, and similar to other Asian countries, they are often perceived as ‘ladyboys’. In many ways, this is a communal problem that is shared with other Western countries, as many people do not have a clear idea of the transgender community. Consequently, many transgenders are seen as ‘different’ and are sadly alienated from society.

The acceptance of the trans community

However, one young Chinese and recent transgender has emerged as an internet celebrity called Abbily, who is gaining support among netizens. Although she was bullied at school following her announcement online to her large following that she is transgender, she has attracted a lot of support.

Nowadays, Chinese internet users have shown themselves to be more understanding of being transgender, owing to more informed knowledge about the community, which has resulted in their wider acceptance, at least online. With the likes of Abbily announcing her identity to 2 million fans via social media the choice for her to become transgender has been respected by netizens.

Moreover, it seems that there is an increased effort and willingness at the governmental level to manage the transition period of young transgender adolescents. Just recently, China announced it was opening its first multidisciplinary clinic for transgender children and adolescents at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai.

The clinic is hoped to act as a ‘bridge’ between transgender children and the wider society. It is also hoped that psychological treatment and necessary medical intervention will greatly help to reduce the negative emotions that transgender patients often feel. Indeed, multiple studies have shown that transgender students suffer high rates of depression and anxiety, and hopefully, this clinic will help to improve their livelihoods. It is not easy to be trans in any country, and clinics such as this highlight the increased support system China is putting in place for young adolescents.

The increased brand endorsement

Another important positive development is the increased brand engagement from international and domestic companies towards the transgender community.

A good example is Dior’s campaign last year. The international luxury brand teamed up with China’s transgender icon Jin Xing for one of its signature fragrances. Jin Xing is a famous dancer, choreographer, and TV presenter and like Abbily has a large social media following.  Jin Xing was the first person to openly undergo transition surgery in 1995 and since then she has become a popular personality icon. Taking an authentic stand, Dior’s endorsement via Weibo has proved a huge success and has been met with much positivity.

Likewise, another example is the Chinese activewear brand MAIA ACT, which included transgender women in their campaign and highlighted an individual woman’s journey, and it seems that other companies have followed suit. Local brands such as NEIWAI and CoFancy are also actively supporting and endorsing transgender citizens. Similarly, there has been an increase of transgender beauty bloggers on platforms such as Bilibili. Such wider media coverage and inclusion, from some of the largest brands internationally, helps to imbed the fact that transgender people are a part of society and one that deserves respect.

Still…a long way to go!

All the above examples demonstrate the increased and continuing acceptance of transgenders in Chinese society. Yet, there is a long way to go, not just in China but all around the world. Sadly, in many countries, the transgender community is still often misunderstood and socially marginalised. As the community begins to gain more acceptance, brands are able to champion this and use their platforms to effect social change and increase brand value.

However, with the benefits of social media and support clinics, such as the one in China, it is hoped that this will help contribute to a better understanding of their predicament and build a more harmonious society.

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As we’ve previously reported, popular Chinese fantasy dramas in the “boy love” (BL) genre have emerged as a major launchpad for some of the market’s hottest and most in-demand celebrities, from Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo (stars of 2019’s The Untamed) to, more recently, Simon Gong and Zhang Zhehan of Word of Honor. 

“Boy love” fans await star-studded adaptation of Heaven Official’s Blessing

While the production of content with queer overtones carries potential risks in China, the demand for adaptations of beloved BL-themed web novels is too big to ignore. The next megahit series in the genre looks set to be iQiyi’s live-action version of Heaven Official’s Blessing.

Already, the fantasy IP of Heaven Official’s Blessing has proven hugely popular, starting with the web novel by the pseudonymous Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, author of the story behind The Untamed. Last year, youth-oriented video streaming platform Bilibili produced an animated version of Heaven Official’s Blessing. It quickly broke multiple records for domestic content on the platform and garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews with a 9.4 rating, setting a new standard for Chinese anime. The series was subsequently picked up by Netflix for global audiences. 

While the news of the latest adaptation of Heaven Official’s Blessing came out in December 2020 with The Untamed director Chen Jialin heading the production, the cast of the series was only revealed in June. C-pop star Zhai Xiaowen was announced as the lead role of Xie Lian, a prince-turned-deity at the centre of the story. All eyes are now on Zhai and the potential represented by his leap from music to drama.

Zhai’s idol show fame makes him popular choice among beauty brands

The 22-year-old Zhai first rose to prominence two years ago as a contestant on Tencent Video’s idol group competition Produce Camp 2019. His sixth-place finish landed him a spot in the hugely popular 11-member boy band that resulted from the show, R1SE, led by winner Zhou Zhennan. Since then, he has amassed a strong fanbase, with nearly 12 million followers on Weibo, and a slew of brand endorsement deals. About a third of the nearly 20 brands he has worked with to date are in the beauty sector, including C-beauty labels Perfect Diary and Chando and L’Oréal’s Biotherm, and he is likely to be tapped by many more as his fame grows. 

Zhai’s appeal stems from his good looks (a top reason cited by fans) and his talent as a performer. He was noted for his singing abilities on Produce Camp 2019 and has been featured on multiple R1SE singles and music videos since the band was formed. Zhai’s humble and hardworking demeanour also won over viewers of Produce Camp 2019, where his willingness to learn and improve were well documented throughout the season. 

As is standard practice for Chinese bands that come from hugely popular idol competition shows, R1SE’s existence was limited in duration, in its case to two years, and the group’s farewell concert (aka “graduation”) also took place in June. Zhai has already been testing the waters as an actor with supporting roles on two romantic drama series earlier this year. 

Will another idol star-turned-actor make it big?

Though Zhai’s followers are excited to witness his transition to leading man, core fans of the Heaven Official’s Blessing IP have been less thrilled to see another boy-band pop star in a starring role. Some have pointed out his lack of acting experience as a cause for concern, worried that he may turn in a poor performance, while others see his selection as blatant commercialism. 

Yet critical acclaim is not the determining factor in mainstream success for young Chinese idols. For example, The Untamed was not particularly well received by fans of the anime version of the novel that preceded it. Nonetheless, its stars, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, still regularly top the rankings of the most commercially valuable celebrities two years after the show aired (and their high-end endorsement deals keep rolling in).  If their career trajectories are anything to go by, Zhai will soon become an even bigger brand favourite and it will only be a matter of time before luxury comes knocking at his door. 

Read more:

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If users try to view the WeChat official account pages, they receive the message:

The accounts’ removal represents a tightening of freedoms for sexual and gender minorities in China. The combination of student clubs and grassroots organisations had tens of thousands of followers in total. “恰帕斯东风Radio” wrote a WeChat article listing all the WeChat accounts that had been banned, which has since been removed. The author wrote:

Weibo also removed the hashtag “#unnamed WeChat account” (#未命名公众号). Yet, netizens still showed support for the LGBTQ+ community through the lesser-known hashtag “#tonight we are all unnamed WeChat accounts” (#今晚我们都是未命名公众号) which has only 22,000 views.

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The Dao Insights team have produced a mini-documentary that explores the LGBTQ+ community in China, and their representation in Chinese society, family, media, the workplace, and in marketing campaigns.

Read an edited version of the script below:

Every year, June marks Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, its rainbow flag, and the movement’s progress globally.

With every country evolving at their own pace, you may be wondering: what’s happening in China?

Let’s take a moment to delve into the latest developments amongst the country’s estimated 70 million LGBTQ+ people.

Together, we’ll look at the community’s representation in Chinese society, family, media, the workplace, and in marketing campaigns.

LGBTQ+ recognition and societal attitudes

It’s 2021, and China has come an awful long way in the last two decades. Homosexuality was first decriminalised in 1997 and its mental disorder status was abolished in 2001.

It’s incredible what openness and more access to online information can do: people’s attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community have been, and still are, gradually shifting.

But change remains slow. The lack of laws referencing sexual or gender minorities and the unclear legal status of LGBTQ+ organisations have often made it more difficult to advance recognition and rights.

While the urban middle class and young people are more accepting, being homosexual, and particularly being trans, is still not viewed as ‘normal’ in the mindsets of many Chinese people.

This is especially true when it comes to their own family.

A 2016 report by the UN found that out of several different communities, including the workplace and school, families are the least accepting towards sexual and gender minorities. Over half (57.6%) of the families surveyed said they were likely to reject an LGBTQ+ relative.

Why might this be?

Historically, Chinese culture places huge importance on social conformity, the family unit, and the continuance of the family line. As such, older relatives often regard being LGBTQ+ as a challenge to raising the next generation. This can make coming out extremely difficult.

However, the growing public support to legalise same-sex marriage became apparent in 2019 when an official announced that legalising gay marriage was one of the most popular requests among the public during the drafting of the first “Civil Code”.

Many believe that one of the largest barriers to increased acceptance is the lack of sex and gender education. In fact, the topic is completely excluded from China’s curriculum.

Sadly, as a result of this lack of acceptance, a report by the Beijing LGBT Centre and the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that China’s LGBTQ+ community is up to five times more likely to develop depression compared to the general public.

LGBTQ+ visibility in media

But there is hope. Social media has, in recent years, created more visibility for the community and has been a space to promote awareness.

Online users shared supportive comments on 17 May 2021 for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOTB). The hashtag “#517 the day to stand against homophobia” gained over 1.02 billion views on Weibo.

Jing Daily told us:

There has also been an evolving conversation about pronouns in China with different forms of ta (TA or X也) being commonly used among the queer and transgender community, as well as appearing on creator’s pages on Gen-Z’s favourite video platform Bilibili.

Bilibili has also reacted to the growing acceptance by offering traffic support to lesbian creators.

Meanwhile, more and more young homosexual couples are coming out on Douyin, China’s TikTok. They see it as one of the safest platforms to share their daily lives with their partners due to its younger, more supportive audience.

China is also home to one of the world’s largest gay social apps, Blued, which made history when it went public in 2020. It has over 15 million users in China, 6 million of which use the app at least once a month and its founder, Ma Baoli 马保力 was awarded ‘Man of the Year’ by GQ China. 

However, there are still barriers…

Earlier this month, Li Ying, a member of China’s national women’s soccer team, became one of a very small number of state-employed athletes to come out publicly. Her Weibo announcement received both positive and hate-filled comments and was later deleted.

This event highlights the pressure on LGBTQ+ celebrities. They feel the need to keep a low profile about their sexuality and identity or use subtle messaging if they want their career to survive.

The hugely popular dancer and TV show host Jin Xing is relatively silent about her trans identity within China. She has only spoken about it more openly abroad, including at the World Economic Forum in 2020.

Censorship regulations on TV also restrict what can be shown, and, in 2016, authorities banned depictions of gay people on TV shows.

This even led to parts of the Eurovision song contest being censored for featuring rainbow flags and tattoos relating to homosexuality.

Yet, despite this, ‘boy love’ dramas are becoming an increasingly popular genre in China. Based on novels that feature gay romance, the on-screen versions show no clear symbol of sexuality and blur the lines between romantic same-sex love and friendship. This seems to make it more acceptable to censors and their Chinese audience.

Word of Honor is one such ‘boy love’ show which has gained a huge following. Publication Radii has explored how fans have even sought to dissect the ‘true meaning’ behind the script. One online user claimed that he could tell through lipreading that the line “putting a dead rat in his mom’s sheets,” had been changed to “I went to bed with my lover and we could not get enough of each other” to avoid censorship.

Some luxury brands have even signed endorsement deals with the stars of ‘boy love’ dramas to indirectly associate themselves with the LGBTQ+ community in China.

LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace

So, what’s it like to be LGBTQ+ in the workplace?

Interestingly, China’s Law on the Promotion of Employment prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic background, race, gender, or religious belief, but does not reference sexual minorities.

As a result, many people choose to hide their sexual orientation from their colleagues. As of 2016, 75% of Chinese people hadn’t come out in their workplace, according to a UN survey.

However, a new report (Corporate LGBT+ Diversity and Inclusion China Report)  by the Beijing LGBT Centre and Peking University found that employees are more willing to recommend their company, will be more committed to work, and will experience less discrimination themselves, if their employers are LGBTQ+ inclusive.

So, what actions have companies been taking to achieve this?

Some companies, such as Diversity & Inclusion Consulting, work throughout the year to support the LGBTQ+ community in China and promote inclusion in the workplace.

D&I Consulting co-founders Ivy Wong and Charlene Liu shared with us how the company had sought to inspire change during Pride Month. They held a job fair to offer the community a chance to network, find job opportunities, and attend career workshops. Business leaders from over 30 local and multi-national companies, including Apple, Bloomberg, EY, Deloitte, Microsoft, and PwC, attended, offered job vacancies, and shared how they have localised their company values in China.

Luxury e-commerce retailer Farfetch shared pictures of activities in their Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong offices during Pride Month. They also held an Open Day exclusively for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies interested in Farfetch’s opportunities.

Pride Month and events to support the community

Outside the workplace, what other events are taking place for the LGBTQ+ community?

ShanghaiPRIDE was established in 2009 as an annual volunteer-run festival to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. It is China’s largest Pride event. The organisation holds art exhibitions, parties, a film and theatre festival, sports competitions, job fairs, and open days.

The main Pride event was cancelled permanently in 2020, which one of ShanghaiPRIDE’s co-founders described to us as:

Aside from Shanghai, most LGBTQ+ events and organisations are concentrated in other large cities, like Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou. Organisers in these cities also hold Pride events and queer film festivals.

Pride campaigns and marketing to LGBTQ+ consumers

In the west, rainbows dominate shopfronts and adverts during June in what is often described as “rainbow washing”. This is slightly different in China, where Pride Month campaigns are much more of a recent phenomenon.

How have brands celebrated Pride in China this year?

Nowadays the conversation about LGBTQ+ inclusivity is not restricted to June, as consumers become more sensitive to which brands are showing genuine inclusivity year-round.

This year, many companies started to engage consumers in May to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

For example, luxury brand Dior took a strong stance in naming the previously mentioned trans celebrity Jin Xing as an ambassador for its signature fragrance, Dior J’adore.

On 17 May, Coca-Cola worked with glasses brand Bolon to produce an array of snazzy rainbow-coloured sunglasses which were given out for free in an online lucky draw. The two brands aimed to inspire a conversation of diversity and inclusivity with the slogan “Don’t be afraid of difference, see the rainbow” (不怕不同，看见彩虹).

In its third Pride campaign in China, Levi’s worked with Absolut to launch limited-edition gift boxes featuring both brands’ Pride products. Absolut also teamed up with ShanghaiPRIDE to sponsor their iconic RNBW party, as well as working with Taiwanese singer and vocal LGBTQ+ supporter Jolin Tsai.

Absolut wasn’t the only brand to get partying: Farfetch co-hosted an event with China’s first voguing and ballroom culture platform, Voguing Shanghai, on 17 June. The event brought together the LGBTQ+ community at the city’s most famous club, Shanghai 44kw.

UGG was another brand to promote its campaign ahead of Pride Month on 20 May for love-themed festival 520. The brand localised its global campaign with social media endorsements from Jiang Sida, a famous gay celebrity, and two lesbian influencer couples.

Unsurprisingly, a similar theme of self-love and acceptance ran through most campaigns, but it isn’t just international brands that are making their voice heard.

Chinese brands like the lingerie label Neiwai have expressed vocal support for the LGBTQ+ community in recent campaigns.

However, more explicit references to the LGBTQ+ community are rare among Chinese companies.

Hence, why Alibaba’s Tmall caused quite a stir when it showed an outwardly gay couple returning home to their family in its 2020 Chinese New Year campaign.

Sky Canaves of Jing Daily commented that foreign brands can learn from local Chinese businesses about how to develop more emotional and authentic campaigns which tap into societal and cultural phenomena, such as themes of family rejection and reconciliation.

As well as sharing far-reaching messages of acceptance during Pride Month, brands can resonate with their audience by understanding the intersectionality that exists within the queer community and focusing on a specific cause where they can impose change.

The road ahead for China’s LGBTQ+ community

So, what does the future hold for China’s LGBTQ+ community?

While China’s younger generations are becoming more and more accepting, there still is a long way to go to break down barriers linked to traditional family values and official societal recognition. We will see faster progress in urban areas which will, in time, trickle down to rural China.

Social media and conversations on them, no matter how controlled, will continue to help foster awareness about LGBTQ+ issues.

The number of brands launching Pride campaigns in China will keep growing. We will see more companies make bolder moves like working with LGBTQ+ influencers and engaging the community directly.

As 2021 Pride Month draws to a close, there are signs of progress for China’s LGBTQ+ community.

Many thanks to our contributors:

Raymond Phang – ShanghaiPRIDE

Ivy Wong and Charlene Liu – D&I Consulting

Jing Daily

Radii

Media used:

Weibo “同志之声” https://m.weibo.cn/1664065962/4646313888845609

Videvo “Painting Pride Flag onto Face” https://www.videvo.net/video/painting-pride-flag-onto-face/455120/

8TV Mandarin News “亚洲第一！ 台湾承认同性婚姻 众人激动哭了” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE8e41hlw5U&t=13s

Inkstone “Shanghai Pride turns 10” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnKm_4HG2P0&t=3s

South China Morning Post “Taiwan holds Asia’s first legal gay weddings, in a boost for LGBT communities” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dT7SoHRwoM&t=3s

Videvo “Tracking Away from Pride Flag on Hand” https://www.videvo.net/video/tracking-away-from-pride-flag-on-hand/455119/

South China Morning Post “Hugs for LGBT support in China” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEXme91w0AQ

Shanghai Pride “ShanghaiPRIDE 2020 Workplace and Community D&I” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFrcmIGSp1s&t=12s

Videvo “Satellite Flying Over Denver” https://www.videvo.net/video/satellite-flying-over-denver/454996/

Videvo “Pride Flag Blowing in the Wind” https://www.videvo.net/video/pride-flag-blowing-in-the-wind/455121/

FRANCE 24 English “Forbidden love: Being gay in China” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM6izogVLWA&t=250s

ABC News In-depth “Being Gay In Deeply Conservative China | Foreign Correspondent” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoGYl_m5EYw&t=182s

Hafu Go “Studying 24 Hours With The World’s Smartest Students” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u35PM5xRdaA

Bloomberg Quicktake “China’s Largest Gay-Dating App is Transforming Society” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX_HebeypLk

The AFC Hub “Hotshots: Li Ying (China PR) – 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLRqsmlacB4

CNBC International TV “Chinese TV star Jin Xing discusses gender reassignment | CNBC Conversation” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgclsweVmwg

Eurovision Song Contest “Opening of the show and Flag Parade – Eurovision 2019” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rub73V1n0NU

Videvo “Business Men in Downtown Hong Kong” https://www.videvo.net/video/business-men-in-downtown-hong-kong/7934/

Shanghai Pride “ShanghaiPRIDE 2017 Recap Video 2017上海骄傲节回顾视频” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyXfYFVG4h0

Videvo “Low Angle Handheld Shot Looking Up at Pride Flag” https://www.videvo.net/video/low-angle-handheld-shot-looking-up-at-pride-flag/678274/

Videvo “Tracking Shot of Pride Artwork Painted on Ground In Birmingham” https://www.videvo.net/video/tracking-shot-of-pride-artwork-painted-on-ground-in-birmingham/607468/

Videvo “Crowded Zebra Crossing” https://www.videvo.net/video/crowded-zebra-crossing/8160/

VOA News “Gay Chinese couple talks about acceptance in US vs. China” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjIIp3YrTBw&t=19s

UGG官方微博 https://m.weibo.cn/status/4639276627395603

Levis中国 “Levi’s® 2021 Pride彩虹系列骄傲上市” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4643225097666657?from=old_pc_videoshow

FARFETCH发发奇 “PRIDE MONTH PARTY” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4649501840048232?from=old_pc_videoshow

FARFETCH发发奇 “无所畏，无所谓，只在发发奇” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4643292131033128?from=old_pc_videoshow

FARFETCH发发奇 “无所畏，无所谓，只在发发奇｜保留自我温柔坚定，ShirelyMilan” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4643310225260633?from=old_pc_videoshow

FARFETCH发发奇 “无所畏，无所谓，只在发发奇｜去做就好不必多言，莲龙青” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4643310745354262?from=old_pc_videoshow

娱理 “《不一样又怎样》” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4637786670825536?from=old_pc_videoshow

阵雨在听 “梁静茹&艾怡良《漂洋过海来看你》 和你一起看彩虹 @阵雨在听” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4637762134147097?from=old_pc_videoshow

北京酷儿合唱团 “《秘密港》预告片 北京酷儿合唱团5.17国际不再恐同日特别策划” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4637262114390138?from=old_pc_videoshow

MomentZ迷之 “做自己，享真我” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4652762718470154?from=old_pc_videoshow

DIOR迪奥 “DIOR迪奥 真我女性” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4639055674278010?from=old_pc_videoshow

瑞典驻华大使馆微博 “爱没有所以然” https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4504522643669028?from=old_pc_videoshow

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