Sexual Minorities in China

In postreform China, many sexual minorities have developed an awareness of sexual rights and a sense of belonging in a queer globality. However, as they are subject to the imperative of heterosexual marriage, sexual orientation and identity tend to be fluid and fragmented. The vast majority of sexual minorities enters heterosexual marriage, while some gays and lesbians have begun using the strategy of cooperative marriage. Despite decriminalization and depathologization of homosexuality, homosexuality remains stigmatized as it has been linked to HIV/AIDS, and married homosexual men are held responsible for spreading HIV to the low-risk population. Divisions among sexual minorities are witnessed along urban/rural and class lines.