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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: Do you think gay marriage will ever be legal in China?
A bit click baity, but a really interesting topic for me.
Forgive me for the illustrative language - I see the "old" culture as a horse-borne calvary that has the weapons (leverage) but doesn't know how to ride (they only know the 'Mao' way, not the 'traditional 5000 years of Chinese history "way).
The younger generation are tanks (they know how to ride but lack the weaponry {critical thinking and maturity a la Rommel} - they're insulated with money and some knowledge (through what freedoms they have and media).
The young need the old (money and property) and the old need the young (pension and old-age welfare).
But clash they will. Not enough females for the males, sexual experimentation is rampant (latch-key kids and absent parenting).
To address the "giggling like schoolgirls" factor, you have kids that are having sex starting in middle school, yet the need to keep of the veneer of propriety is also there. The lack of sexual education adds to the fact that although the act is being consummated, they're still ignorant and oblivious to the repercussions and mechanisms involved in said act.
I believe that the acceptance of homosexuality will move from the "don't ask, don't tell" nature of today's Chinese society will move to the forefront once enough of the younger generation "come out" and give the older generation the confidence (and lack of choice) to accept it.
What is considered "traditional" in China has to be re-evaluated and brought up to date. It's time to allow today's generation to choose their own destinies and explore what it is to be human.
Edited because I got my arguments bass-ackwards courtesy of Wild Turkey.
thedude:
Solid and rational answer....but I still believe this is 20 years away from happening,
Sodomy was officially a crime in Texas 12 years ago...China is at least 10 years behind redneck Texas.
They still jail people for smoking freakin weed....not selling...consuming....oh wait...so does Texas today....oh well...nevermind.
I believe so (eventually) yes. Will it be because the government believes homosexuals should have the same rights as everyone else? No. Will it be to appear modern or conform to some future U.N. resolution? Yes.
China is changing rapidly so in the long term anything is possible. In the short term, however, no way.
Attitudes towards homosexuality are incredibly ignorant and immature here. Society expects everyone to marry, buy an apartment and have a baby. Gay people can't do this and are therefore not okay. I've heard educated adults and uni. students giggle like schoolgirls at the very mention of the word "gay". Funny how some of those giggling are effeminate males who most likely swing that way but would never admit it. With these prevailing attitudes it's hard to imagine gay marriage any time soon.
Forgive me for the illustrative language - I see the "old" culture as a horse-borne calvary that has the weapons (leverage) but doesn't know how to ride (they only know the 'Mao' way, not the 'traditional 5000 years of Chinese history "way).
The younger generation are tanks (they know how to ride but lack the weaponry {critical thinking and maturity a la Rommel} - they're insulated with money and some knowledge (through what freedoms they have and media).
The young need the old (money and property) and the old need the young (pension and old-age welfare).
But clash they will. Not enough females for the males, sexual experimentation is rampant (latch-key kids and absent parenting).
To address the "giggling like schoolgirls" factor, you have kids that are having sex starting in middle school, yet the need to keep of the veneer of propriety is also there. The lack of sexual education adds to the fact that although the act is being consummated, they're still ignorant and oblivious to the repercussions and mechanisms involved in said act.
I believe that the acceptance of homosexuality will move from the "don't ask, don't tell" nature of today's Chinese society will move to the forefront once enough of the younger generation "come out" and give the older generation the confidence (and lack of choice) to accept it.
What is considered "traditional" in China has to be re-evaluated and brought up to date. It's time to allow today's generation to choose their own destinies and explore what it is to be human.
Edited because I got my arguments bass-ackwards courtesy of Wild Turkey.
thedude:
Solid and rational answer....but I still believe this is 20 years away from happening,
Sodomy was officially a crime in Texas 12 years ago...China is at least 10 years behind redneck Texas.
They still jail people for smoking freakin weed....not selling...consuming....oh wait...so does Texas today....oh well...nevermind.
It's hard to say. Since gay-marriage has been adopted by many countries, maybe it can be legal in China some day.
Samsara:
Pserena:
Look at Sino's main post, above. Solid sociological reasoning from beginning to end. That's a foreigner.
Now look at your post. Basically "Things will be better and better." That's a Chinese person imagining that, without analytical abilities, a personality, or grammar, he can impersonate foreigners online.
No one is going to visit your shitty website.
Legal gay marriages abound in China, as do legal unhappy marriages...
Of course. China is officially an atheist state. If they deny gay marriage they deny atheism.
hi2u:
"If they deny gay marriage they deny atheism"
That's a non sequitur if I ever saw one. Please explain the logic behind this.
cub:
scotsalan, didnt u ask this same question before a few months back?
I have a few friends who happen to be Chinese and also happen to be homosexual. They are all lesbians. Their lives seem to be very much the "Don't ask, don't tell" scenario as Sinobear has implied. I do live in what you would call a backwater. Out of sociological interest I talked to them while we were all getting drunk at the local bar and I poked around a little (no pun intended) to find out how they dealt with their sexuality in Chinese society and how others dealt with it. They had no problem in telling me about it. Here's how it went.
Old people: They think they have some kind of mental disease (reminiscent of 1950's Western countries). Why wouldn't you want to find a man and have a baby? Crazy.
Men: Lecherous, curious, confused and perverted. How do you have sex? It's not possible for two women to have sex! Why don't you want to find a man and have a baby? Crazy!
Women: The same as men without the lechery and the perversion.
Parents: How dare you be such a selfish little brat! Hurry up and make me some grandkids. You are crazy!
So all in all I think there is a fair way to go before their is open societal acceptance of homosexual relationships.
Lenin repealed the Tsarist law against homosexuality in 1917, one of the first things he did in office. Stalin recriminalised it in 1933 labelling it as a disease.
China has made large leaps in a relatively short period of time. The younger generation is much more accepting of gays. The biggest advantage for China is that they have no religions to block the advancement of gay marriage. The biggest disadvantage is their traditions and culture. As the traditions and culture get watered down and disappear, so will the old thinking of the rural areas. It is interesting that in many large cities, many gay clubs are offering speed dating and other events for gays to meet lesbians. They date and get married to satisfy the parental requirements of marriage and a child, while living their lives separately. He has a boyfriend and she has a girlfriend. Spring Festival comes and goes. The parents are none the wiser. You would think that a government that was hell bent of a one child policy would be all for gay marriage to reduce the population. Sadly though, far too many gay men and women end up marrying the opposite sex out of culture and family obligations. They live a life of a lie and usually the opposing partner pays the price of little intimate nurturing and lack of love. Sometimes there is mental and physical abuse that erupts from these relationships.