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LGBT students continue to be vastly invisible in the international higher education literature and often face hostile learning environments, both in the classroom and in the larger university environment. This study follows a narrative inquiry approach to explore and document the experiences of tongzhi–the most widely embraced identity label among individuals romantically and sexually attracted to people of their same gender in contemporary Chinese societies–students in Mainland China. We interviewed six male university students who identify as tongzhi in order to understand their educational experience, the learning environments they experience in the classroom, and their interactions with the academic staff. Despite very different individual narratives, the findings reveal a resilient student population and a strategic approach to managing complex relationships and navigating self-disclosure. We offer recommendations for future research and for practitioners invested in promoting inclusive learning environments for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how lesbian alternative media developed in China. Under the resource-scarce condition, the lesbian print magazine as an alternative media helps align the isolated lesbian networks when other forms of social media were less prevalent. Using the first and the longest-running lesbian underground print magazine Les+ as my case study, I examine the development of the Chinese lesbian communities and their diversification through the lens of the alternative media. Based on content analysis, I find that the editors engage in three strategies to cultivate a lesbian and queer feminist discursive space: network-building, mutual empowerment, and politicization, which roughly represent three periods of the magazine's development. While these strategies help build momentum for activism, they unintentionally narrow the scope of the magazine that has contributed to the disbandment. I argue that the demise of this alternative media signifies a new ground in the diversified queer feminist movement in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by intergroup contact theory, this survey study investigated whether the formation of pseudo-socioemotional ties with well-known LGBT media personas in China (i.e., parasocial relationships) could reduce cisgender heterosexual Chinese participants' anxiety toward and prejudice against the LGBT community. Results indicated a significant indirect effect of parasocial relationship with LGBT media personas on prejudice against this community through intergroup anxiety: the parasocial relationship was negatively associated with intergroup anxiety, which was consequently associated with less prejudice. Moreover, results indicated the direct effect of parasocial relationships with LGBT media personas on prejudice was moderated by participants' direct contact with LGBT members: parasocial relationships reduced prejudice only for those who had more direct contact with LGBT individuals. These findings add nuances and create boundary conditions to intergroup contact theory and bear significant practical implications for the Chinese LGBT community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, by illustrating coming-out stories of lesbians and their families, inspired by and extending Amy Brainer's theorization of LGBT family of origin relationships based on her studies in Taiwan, critically revisits the dominant coming-out discourses in the LGBT activism and research in contemporary mainland China. I first argue that, although the belief that the Western-rooted idea of coming out and Chinese family traditions are incompatible is influential within China's LGBT activist circles, what is seldom recognized is that "chugui", the Chinese translation of "coming out", has already become a local term. However, grassroots but creative definitions of "chugui", such as "to cultivate a better parent-child relationship", is rejected by LGBT activist elites. I then point out an imbalance in China's LGBT research that mainly pays attention to strategies of not coming out to parents, which actually underestimates parents' agency and even otherizes parents in the name of "filial piety". Rather, the emerging liberalistic ideal of family relationships, especially mother-daughter relationships, enables coming-out practices to become intersubjective journeys for both LGBT children and their parents to rethink gender and sexuality. Finally, I criticize the narrowly defined "family", or "home", in China's dominant coming-out discourses, which disproportionately focuses on one's family of origin and presumes it as a heteronormative fortress. I call for studies that recognize queer empathy and solidarity in a family of origin and connects one's experiences in her family of origin with her later life in chosen families, which may be the family of origin of her child(ren). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with counselling and psychotherapy service use among Chinese sexual minority populations. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was performed using snowball sampling method, which led to the inclusion of 18,193 participants. Participants' sociodemographic background, clinical, and psychological data were gathered. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore any associated factors. Results: There were 2007 participants who had used counselling and psychotherapy service out of the total population. Among those who had used psychotherapy services, 80.2% participants perceived discrimination, 1.1% reported that they had been refused treatment by a counsellor and/or psychotherapist, 1.6% had experienced verbal harassment, and 8.4% reported that their counsellor and/or psychotherapist lacked knowledge and experience in treating sexual minorities. In addition, regression analyses indicated that those who were divorced/widowed, had religious beliefs, and those who had experienced discrimination, verbal harassment, and rejection for treatment by health professionals all had an increased likelihood of utilising counselling and psychotherapy service. Conclusions: Service providers and policy makers in China should improve the quality and availability of counselling and psychotherapy services to address the mental health needs of sexual minority populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Social media is increasingly popular among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) who have a higher risk of depression and dis-identification in China. However, it is unclear whether psychological dependency on social media and social media use behavior have beneficial offline effects. We conducted an online survey of 1391 valid LGBT recruited in China and also interviewed five LGBT Weibo users to better explain some results. We found LGBT with higher levels of depression and dis-identification were more likely to be psychologically dependent on social media. Higher levels of social media dependency were predictive of social media use, and both online social support seeking and offering activities contributed individually as predictor of perceived online social support. Perceived online social support was not negatively related to offline depression and dis-identification, which meant what happens online may stay online. LGBT who has a longer history of using Weibo would be less dependent on social media, perceive less online social support and have better offline psychological wellbeing. The mechanism of how social media use affects offline life of LGBT needs to be further examined. Limitations, future directions and recommendations are discussed. Highlights • Worse mental health is positively related to social media dependency for LGBT. • Social media dependency is related to online support seeking and offering activities for LGBT. • Online support seeking and offering activities are positively correlated with perceived online social support for LGBT. • Perceived online support is not related to better offline mental health, while having a longer history of using Weibo predicts better mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in western countries has shown that adolescents who self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) are at increased risk for depression, but little is known about this relationship among adolescents in China. A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1816 high school students in Jiangxi province. Logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms. Approximately 4% of participants self-identified as LGB, and 14% reported being unsure of their sexual identity. After controlling for potential confounding factors, students who self-identified as LGB had significantly higher odds of depressive symptoms compared with heterosexual students: adjusted odds ratio = 6.16 (2.13-17.83) and adjusted odds ratio = 2.29 (1.13-4.63) for males and females, respectively. Culturally appropriate programs and policies that support LGB students and address discrimination and victimization are needed to improve the mental health of Chinese LGB youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article draws upon responses given by volunteers who work in the Beijing LGBT Centre regarding perceptions of sexual identity, and how Chinese culture affects hidden or open sexual identities of Chinese lesbian and gay people in this region. The insights gained from those working carefully to create social change offers an important and original contribution to the field of gay and lesbian studies in China. The findings indicate the volunteers at the Beijing LGBT Centre are frustrated by the lack of acceptance of non‐heterosexual relationships among Chinese culture and society, and by the disregard of lesbian gay and bisexual (LGB) people by the Chinese government. The findings also illustrate stigmatization of homosexuality in China is enacted in structural terms (such as in the lack of policy, legislation and positive endorsement by governmental and socio‐political organizations), public expression (such as negative attitudes, beliefs or reactions towards LGB people) and internalized repression (through fear of stigmatization, and subsequent abuse due to negative societal attitudes and discrimination). Influenced by the Chinese tradition of conforming to group values, the findings from this study show that volunteers at the Beijing LGBT Centre believe LGB people in China are generally hesitant to disclose their sexual identities, and reject the idea that there had been a collective shift in Chinese culture regarding increased acceptance of LGB people. It also finds volunteers at the LGBT Centre in Beijing blame Chinese culture for its lack of acceptance of non‐heterosexual relationships, and state stigmatization of homosexuality in China is due to deep‐rooted cultural homophobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a critical discourse analysis of all gay-related news reports in five mainstream Beijing newspapers between 2010 and 2015, this article distils four dominant categories of images of gays and lesbians represented by the news media: gays as crime victims because of their presumed inherent weakness, as violent subjects, as enemies of traditional values and as a source of social instability. This means that despite legal and official recognition of homosexuality in China, it is still tainted with sin and perversion in the mainstream public discourse. The way in which the Chinese news media and journalists construct the image of the homosexual person notably differs from that in the West. Newspapers treat gay men and lesbians separately, with the former deemed socially destabilising elements of violence and promiscuity and the latter seen as closer to ‘normal’ heterosexuals in the way they think and act. In addition, Chinese news reports almost completely silence gay people who are rarely interviewed, and the few who are see only their expressions of shame or regret published. This article discusses and interprets such discursive strategies within the specific sociocultural context of Chinese society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family of origin is one of the less-studied areas to have been investigated during the rights-claiming process by non-heterosexuals. This paper discusses how family of origin plays a significant role in the claiming of rights (such as the authority to make health care or medical treatment, funeral arrangement and inheritance) by non-heterosexuals in Hong Kong. Because of the functional specificities of Chinese families and their perceptions of homosexuality, Chinese non-heterosexuals are eager to introduce their sexuality to their family of origin rather than participate in a more separated approach to coming out. This process constitutes a 'coming home' approach to coming out as a member of a gender or sexual minority group. The negative effects of exclusion and ignorance not only affect the mental health of non-heterosexuals in Hong Kong but also shape and create social barriers to the claiming of rights. Findings from this study reveal that family of origin is a significant factor deterring non-heterosexuals from considering, planning or taking action to claim sexual citizenship rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government uses legal registration to manage and control the rise of social organizations. To avoid negative government attention, organizations might be expected to actively pursue such registration. However, in-depth field research of Chinese NGOs in three issue areas (environmental protection, HIV/AIDS prevention, and gay and lesbian rights) reveals that this is not always the case. There are many conflicting political and economic incentives for both NGOs and government, complicating understandings of social organization registration in China. By shedding light on the process of registration, this article reveals the complexities of state–society relations and demonstrates the difficulties for social organizations to avoid significant government interference. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: China has the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population. This study assessed the discrimination experienced by LGBT individuals in China in a comprehensive way, covering discrimination perpetrated by family, media, medical services, religious communities, schools, social services, and in the workplace., Methods: The current study involved a national survey of 31 provinces and autonomous regions. Discrimination was measured both in terms of heterosexual participants' attitudes towards LGBT individuals, and LGBT participants' self-perceived discrimination. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the difference between heterosexual participants' attitudes towards LGBT individuals and LGBT participants' self-perceived discrimination. Linear regression was used to investigate the association between gross domestic product per capita and discrimination., Results: Among 29,125 participants, 2066 (7.1%) identified as lesbian, 9491 (32.6%) as gay, 3441 (11.8%) as bisexual, 3195 (11.0%) as transgender, and 10,932 (37.5%) as heterosexual. Heterosexual people were generally friendly towards the LGBT community with a mean score of 21.9 (SD = 2.7, total scale score = 100) and the grand averaged score of self-perceived discrimination by LGBT participants was 49.9 (SD = 2.5). Self-perceived discrimination from family and social services is particularly severe. We created a series of provincial level choropleth maps showing heterosexual participants' acceptance towards the LGBT community, and self-perceived discrimination reported by members of the LGBT community. We found that a higher level of economic development in provinces was associated with a decrease in discrimination, and we identified that every 100 thousand RMB increase in per capita GDP lead to a 6.4% decrease in discriminatory events perpetrated by heterosexuals., Conclusions: Chinese LGBT groups consistently experience discrimination in various aspects of their daily lives. The prevalence of this discrimination is associated with the economic development of the province in which it occurs. In order to reduce discrimination, it is important for future studies to discover the underlying reasons for discrimination against LGBT individuals in China.

Sexual and/or gender minority young people who are also members of an ethnic minority can experience unique challenges. Limited research draws directly on the mental health experiences of these 'double minority' youth. This study focused on Chinese sexual/gender minority youth in New Zealand. It sought to explore features they found challenging for, or supportive of, their mental health and wellbeing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Chinese sexual/gender minority participants aged between 19 and 29 years old and residing in Auckland, New Zealand. An inductive approach to qualitative data analysis was used. Two major domains of findings emerged. Firstly, participants described mental health challenges linked to racism, sexism, cis-heteronormativity and challenges in relation to intersecting identities. Secondly, Chinese culture and community connections, family and peer support and role models seemed to facilitate resiliency. However, the fear of 'losing face', unwillingness to disclose distress when unwell and mental health service providers' lack of cultural and linguistic competency were described as barriers to effective mental health support. In conclusion, Chinese and sexual/gender minority identities were integral parts of participants' sense of self, and this was associated with their mental health and wellbeing. Further research is required to explore ways to reduce barriers and promote resiliency.