Regulation of Homosexuality in the Chinese Media Scene

The story of Anwei and Yebin, a Chinese gay couple now living in a rural village in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China, appeared in the Chinese parenting magazine Ren Zhi Chu. Their story was later picked up by domestic and international news media such as iFeng, the Global Times, and CNN. Both coming from farming families and, having struggled with their identities (Yebin had been in a heterosexual relationship previously), Anwei and Yebin’s story has inspired many – especially given the supportive stance of their parents, with Yebin’s mother having initiated the idea for them to draft a relationship contract to provide them with the financial and legal security afforded by heterosexual marriage. When we asked them how they feel about the prospect for legalised same sex marriage in China, they answered without a doubt that they believed it certain to happen. However, contrary to Anwei and Yebin’s optimism, freedom from discrimination for homosexuals, not to mention legalised same sex marriage, still has a long way to go in China.