International Day Against Homophobia: China still lacks protections and support for LGBT people at work and in society
- China decriminalised homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from a list of mental illnesses in 2001, but gay marriage isn’t legal and social acceptance remains limited
- Reports by NGOs found many people struggle to gain acceptance at work, with many saying they don’t receive enough to consider having children
In China, homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 and removed from a list of mental illnesses in 2001, but gay marriage still isn’t legal and social acceptance remains limited.
A report from the Guangzhou-based nonprofit organisation Advocates for a Diverse Family Network, which interviewed 3,171 lesbians and transgender women, found that they face difficulties having children due to a lack of legal and policy support, as well as cultural acceptance.
Among 1,823 single women, 1,650, or 90 per cent, don’t want to have children, with the top reasons being “not liking children” and “not enough social support”.
For the 173 who currently are or are planning to fall pregnant, the top difficulties are; they don’t receive medical support, can’t access proper maternity leave, and have no support from their families.
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Out of the 1,077 women with partners, 815 have no plans to have children due to “not liking children”, “financial limitations” and “not enough social support”.