LGBT culture in Shanghai

The city of Shanghai, China, has an LGBT community.

Hongwei Bao, author of "Queering/Querying Cosmopolitanism: Queer Spaces in Shanghai," stated that the LGBT community in Shanghai has a more cautious attitude compared to LGBT communities in other Chinese cities.[1] Bao wrote that there is a sense that Shanghai has a culture superior to that of other areas in China and that "Shanghai’s gay identity bears the imprint of this self-identified cultural superiority brought about by their experience with colonialism and capitalism in the twentieth century."[1]

History

In the period prior to 1949, there was an LGBT culture in Shanghai. After 1949 and until the 1970s, this was suppressed. Cruising areas, including public toilets, river banks, and parks, were used in the 1970s and 1980s. They were known as beats, or dian'er in Chinese.[2] By 2012 wealthier LGBT persons began visiting bars, cafes, restaurants, and shopping areas.[3]

Geography

In 2009, Aric Chen of The New York Times stated that the "epicenter" of the LGBT community is the "Gay Triangle," three bars in the French Concession. They are: Eddy's Bar (Chinese: 艾迪酒吧; pinyin: Àidí Jiǔbā), Shanghai Studio, and Transit Lounge Shanghai (TL).[4] Wealthier and non-Chinese LGBT persons meet in communities in wealthier communities, while working class LGBT persons meet in less wealthy areas such as Hongkou District and Yangpu District.[3] Transit Lounge Shanghai has closed.[5]

Economy

Eddy's, Shanghai's first gay bar, opened in 1995 and moved to its current location in 2001.[6] Erdingmu and the other first gay bars also opened in the early 1990s. The number of gay businesses and bars sharply increased by the late 1990s.[3]

Institutions

The first ever lala (lesbian, female bisexual, and transgender male to female) group in Shanghai is the Shanghai Nvai Lesbian Group.[7]

Bao wrote that there are many LGBT-related non-governmental organizations in Shanghai, and that an employee of one LGBT NGO told him that the NGOs in Shanghai have better relations to one another compared to the LGBT NGOs in other Chinese cities.[8]

The LGBT community in Shanghai uses several websites, including the listserv ShanghaiLGBT.[9]

Education

In 2005 Fudan University began offering an LGBT studies program. This was the first course on LGBT culture offered in a Mainland Chinese university.[10]

Recreation

Shanghai Pride is the gay pride event in Shanghai. As of 2009 it is co-organized by both Chinese and non-Chinese. The events include art exhibitions, panel discussions, films, and theater productions.[11] By 2013 the amount of Chinese participation has increased. As of that year there is no parade component.[12] Organizers stated that this was the first LGBT festival in China; there are individuals, mostly Chinese LGBT activists, who say that there were organized LGBT events that occurred prior to Shanghai Pride.[13]

Sharon Owyang, the author of Frommer's Shanghai, stated that Chinese society sees all sexual relations in a puritanical manner, so Shanghai does not have specialized LGBT resources; however she stated "Shanghai is quite tolerant of gay and lesbian travelers".[14]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bao, Hongwei, p. 101.
  2. ↑ Bao, Hongwei, p. 102.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Bao, Hongwei, p. 103.
  4. ↑ Chen, Aric. "New Day for Shanghai Nights." The New York Times. June 28, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  5. ↑ Home page. Transit Lounge Shanghai. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Shanghai's best quiet gay bars" (Archive). Time Out Shanghai. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ Kam, Lucetta, p. 8.
  8. ↑ Bao, p. 105.
  9. ↑ Rauhala, Emily. "Shanghai Pride: China Gay Pride Festival Its First Ever" (Archive). Global Post at the Huffington Post. July 16, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Shanghai University to Offer China’s First Program In Gay Culture" (Archive). Associated Press at Diverse Education. September 8, 2005. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ Qian, Yanfeng. "Shanghai hosts first gay pride festival" (Archive). China Daily. June 10, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  12. ↑ RNW China Desk. "Shanghai Celebrates 5th Gay Pride Festival" (Archive). Radio Netherlands Worldwide. June 18, 2013. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  13. ↑ Bao, Hongwei, p. 98.
  14. ↑ Owyang, Sharon. Frommer's Shanghai (Volume 630 of Frommer's Complete Guides). John Wiley & Sons, November 2, 2010. 6th Edition. ISBN 0470437944, 9780470437940. p. 58. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.

References

Further reading

  1. ↑ "Dr. KAM Yip Lo, Lucetta | 金曄路博士." Hong Kong Baptist University. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.