China gay rights activists demand equality on university campuses

Chinese grass-roots activists have sent a barrage of letters to 112 key universities to demand equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangender (LGBT) people on campus, in time for nationwide Teachers’ Day celebrations.

The activists from three mainland groups have asked the universities in an open letter to correct teaching materials that might prompt discrimination against LGBTs, and to offer gender diversity courses.

Jointly issued by Changsha-based China Same Sex Love (CSSL), Beijing-based LGBT Rights Advocacy China and Nanjing-based anti-discrimination group Justice for All, the letter also demanded that the universities allow gay students to establish clubs and communities.

“We appeal and encourage principals at various universities to play a positive role in gender equality education, to face up [to] the basic demands of sexual-minority students including gays, bisexuals and transgenders,” they stated in the letters, which were sent by registered post.

They also included an appeal for stronger protection against bullying. The target universities included the prestigious Peking University and others.

“When gay students are facing bullies, please guarantee their rights and offer them psychological support. When the university’s regulations violate the rights of gay students, please be brave [and] make changes,” the letter said.

The Guangzhou-based Gay and Lesbian Campus Association in China said in its latest report in August that, after reviewing 90 mainland textbooks – mostly about psychology and published after 2001 – less than half included contents on homosexuality, of which more than 40 per cent clearly defined homosexuality as an illness.