Why Edison Fan – Chinese influencer, gay model and LGBT advocate – is so much more than just a pretty face
Edison Fan, who established OMG Sportswear and U-Touch Underwear, is living as an openly gay model and influencer in China – how does the single father, best known for his sexy underwear shots, do it?
Social media superstar, gay model, entrepreneur and a single father, 34 year old Edison Fan has built a strong following and a career, and is an influential voice for the LGBTQ+ community in China
Scrolling through Edison Fan’s Instagram feed, at first glance, he looks like a typical fashion model. But beyond the nearly naked selfies, casual underwear shots and creative fashion editorials, he is one of China’s biggest openly gay influencers, boasting 536,000 followers on Instagram and 1 million followers on Weibo. Despite being out in a country where rampant discrimination still exists, he has managed to carve a flourishing and successful career.
Read on to find out more about Edison and how his life as a gay model resonates with the LGBTQ+ community.
His son Frederic was born via surrogacy
On his Instagram Q&A stories, Edison wrote having Frederic was the happiest moment of his life. However, he acknowledged parenting should not be taken lightly. “You will be responsible for a long time; bringing life into this world is a huge responsibility,” he says.
He didn’t come out until he was 22
In the same story, he explained how he planned to come out after finishing his studies so that he would be financially independent. It took years for his parents to embrace his sexuality. “I had to tell them because they decided to have a child, and my orientation comes in a package with that decision.”