Newspaper article

[Cole Parker]

In Today's LA Times is an article on gay couples from China coming here to marry. Very nice series of pictures and a good video too.

Some very cute couples.

http://www.latimes.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=chinese+gay+marriages+&target=all&spell=on

C

[dude]

I love it!

[Chris James]

You have to wonder what the reaction of Chinese officials will be to these marriages. These days, probably nothing.

I have an old friend who lived in China for seven or eight years, working for a Chinese company, and travelling a lot to different cities. He had an apartment with a Chinese lover and discovered it easier to rent when a local was involved. The young man's parents didn't know their son was gay and it seems there is a lot of that going on.

Many Chinese gay men marry to meet family or business obligations, but the marriage is a sham. Homosexuality is not exactly illegal although gay sex is and so men are cautious. There are gay bars which get raided every so often but that is just part of the cost of doing business in a country where bribes are normal. There are parks and temple grounds where gay men can meet, and until recently there was also the internet. The Chinese government has cracked down on internet activity so who knows what will become of that.

Considering how overbearing their government can be I would imagine gay men are probably on a list somewhere...kinda like the FBI here a few decades ago. But you will not see demonstrations for gay rights in China, the community is too well adapted to the concept of an underground lifestyle. There are probably tens of thousands of gay men over there and I wish them luck.

[JamesSavik]

I find it interesting that the most homophobic of people and organizations maintain the most accurate lists.

One might even think they were looking for a date.