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19 Jan 2010

China AIDS NGO forced to cancel 16th anniversary celebrations

The same weekend the Mr Gay China pageant was cancelled, a prominent AIDS activist said his NGO was forced to cancel its 16th anniversary celebrations while a state-sponsored and UN-supported radio talk show dealing with HIV issues slated to air last Saturday has been postponed.

Less than 24 hours after the police shut down Mr Gay China pageant which was to be held at a Beijing club for not possessing relevant license, Aizhixing, a prominent Beijing-based AIDS non-government organisation (NGO), was reportedly forced to cancel a gathering to mark the 16th anniversary of its founding.

"We don't know exactly why, and we did not really ask," Dr Wan Yanhai, founder of the Beijing Aizhixing Institute, and a leading HIV/AIDS and LGBT human rights advocate in China, was quoted as saying in a CNN report. "The government might not believe in what we are doing. We hoped we could operate more openly in society. But it seems that the government will not accept this."

Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post and CNN also reported that what was to be the debut of the mainland's first state-sponsored radio programme dedicated to HIV issues last Saturday has been postphoned.

The CNN report also quoted Zhang Wei, a spokesperson for the UN Development Program, as saying that the program, "Positive Talks," was scheduled to start airing weekly on China National Radio but so far has not received final approval from the government.

In a Jan 17 report titled “Pressure on gays intensifies after pageant shutdown”, the Post noted that it’s unknown “why the police launched the high-profile crackdown, with 200 people and journalists at the scene, an hour before the contest began” as Chinese officials usually notify organisers days or hours beforehand should they feel that an event is not permitted to be held.

The SCMP report also noted that the local media including Beijing News reported on the cancellation. However, the report quoted police from Beijing's Chaoyang district as saying the organisers cancelled the event "voluntarily" as opposed to the event being “shut down” by the police as reported by foreign media.

Professor Li Yinhe, a prominent sociologist specialising in gay culture studies, was quoted in the same report as saying that she was “confused” by the crackdown. "In dealing with the issue of homosexuality, authorities are always more conservative than the general public and as a result we have no rules to follow," she said. 

Meanwhile, the organisers of the Mr Gay China pageant have announced on its web site yesterday that they have decided not to send a delegate to represent China in Oslo despite their initial plans to select a winner from the eight contestants privately. 

Organisers Gayographic also announced that their weekly events at Lan Club have been “postponed indefinitely” but did not give any reasons for doing so. The organisers did not respond to Fridae’s request for comment.

China

Reader's Comments

1. 2010-01-19 20:14  
So is the Chinese government exercising a crackdown on all things gay, while their propaganda-generating "spin doctors" report false, yet "plausible" stories to protect their global image?

Have they decided to begin picking us apart bit by bit, hoping no one would notice?

It's easy for the powerful to dismantle and destroy a weak, marginalized and unorganized minority group that has little power, little influence, with no adverse consequences as a result of its extinction.
2. 2010-01-19 20:42  
um, "Chinese officials usually notify organisers days or hours beforehand should they feel that an event is not permitted to be held." This statement is nonsense.

The author of "Wild Swans" years ago had her packed audience summarily dismissed with the then U.S. Ambassador and other dips jostled in the front rows by Peoples' Armed Police.... authority will do what it wants in China; always has, and always will.

Don't get misty-eyed about it. Gays should hold up about 15% of the sky... Mao promised women that they would hold up half the sky? Do they? ... lolz. Maybe in other countries, but not in Zhong Guo.
3. 2010-01-19 22:07  
What a horrible government!
4. 2010-01-20 00:32  
Unfortunately most Asia countries practice "control" policy rather than "manage" policy.
5. 2010-01-20 01:41  
Maybe Mr. Gay Hong Kong can pose in a dress and tell 'the world' about this, too...
6. 2010-01-20 03:51  
How about Mr. Gay Taiwan?
7. 2010-01-20 08:01  
Somebody didn't suck the right official's dick to get the proper licenses!
This country is pathetic in its gay rights policies. Gay people are too afraid to stand up for themselves to their own families. How the hell would they be expected to get a proper license for a gay-themed event???
Family and gay issues here are one dimensional, antiquated and abusive to gay people.
But, gays here are lame and do not even stand up for themselves, so they deserve exactly what they get.
If you want to change the world, baby, get off you dead ass, grow some balls and tell everyone you are not going to take this shit anymore!
Let the chips fall where they may...
8. 2010-01-20 11:20  
Actually, this is the first time I'm seeing the Chinese government perform a "flip-flop" in their policies towards homosexuality. First they allow the Pride Festival, then opened a government linked gay bar, and now suddenly they're cracking down on NGO's and beauty pageants.

One can't help but wonder if the change in policy is the result of perhaps something happening behind the closed doors of the ruling government themselves.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if such changes were the result of one single person in their government being censored.
9. 2010-01-20 11:58  
This isn't a fair thing!!
10. 2010-01-20 22:02  
eee . . . kinda remind of Sg
Comment #11 was deleted by its author on 2010-01-21 06:23
12. 2010-01-21 08:35  
huh, where do they get this info? I just went out to three gay bars last weekend, it was fun and rocking, great music and fellowship, my gay dentist friends are here and in town and in Beijing people are super nice, the Ai Zhi Yuan Zhu Foundation is doing really well, you guys need to do your research
13. 2010-01-21 08:42  
Shame on them. Ignorance = Death.

I had shocking news that yg frd in China has caught HIV. He's only 24yrs - a wasted, beautiful life.

There is too much ignorance in Cn, and with a rapidly growing male population, the need for greater HIV education is stronger than ever.
14. 2010-01-21 19:52  
Wait, did this country hosted the Olympics 2 years back?
Geez. *shrugs*

And to yesnomaybe, you might wanna get the ball rollin' about growing some balls. How about starting off with an actual profile picture of yourself first.

Yes, no, maybe?
Geez x 10.
15. 2010-01-21 20:59  
It is a step backward for China's gay rights, just when things are starting to look up. My fellow Tongzhi, don't give up the fight! Victory will come one day. It's just a matter of time!

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