2nd annual gay pride party delayed

• Source: Global Times
• [09:46 June 10 2010]
• Comments

"It's really too bad that Shanghai Pride cannot have a fixed date like other gay pride weeks do in international cities," Australian Rodney Ye, a homosexual living in Shanghai, told the Global Times.

"It would have been great to have the chance to celebrate the event with visitors from around the world, who are in town for the Expo," he added.

Though China removed homosexuality from Criminal Law in 1987, the march to equality for homosexuals in the country has a long way to go before the movement is to progress without challenges or limitations, even in the most open city on the Chinese mainland as seen with the latest setback experienced by Shanghai Pride organizers, according to Zhang Beichuan, widely known for his research on homosexuality.

The strong will of Chinese to adhere to traditional mentality remains the biggest challenge to advancing gay and lesbian rights in the country, he said.

"Family is one of the most important prides for traditional Chinese," he added. "Being able to bear offspring is paramount to earning respect from parents and ancestors, which makes coming out for gays that much harder for Chinese."

At the same time, Zhang said it is important not to forget how far the country, and especially Shanghai, has come in the matter - having held Shanghai Pride last year, and as the city plans to launch another one later this fall.

"Shanghai Pride is more than just symbolic if you think about it," he said. "It shows that society is gradually becoming more accepting of gays and lesbians, and that only bodes well for the future of these individuals, in terms of being treated as equals."