Mainland China’s Gay Pride returns for its 8th year. ShanghaiPRIDE announces details of China’s only LGBT pride
Shanghai Pride, mainland China’s only gay pride returns for its 8th year – after successfully running for seven years. For it’s 8th year the pride’s theme is “生为平常 I Am Me” and will run over 10 days in June.
The pride’s theme “refers to the LGBTQ struggle for the right to live a “normal” life, being fully oneself with nothing to hide,” according to the event’s organisers.
ShanghaiPRIDE organiser Hans Ibrahim explained in a statement,
“Today, people seek special or unique lifestyles; all the voices on social media platforms engage people to live differently,
“To be normal is boring and meaningless for them. But for LGBTQ individuals, the situation is opposite. How can we live normally – to kiss, to dress, to walk with a loved one on the street, to work, to not be slandered, to not be noticed … to enjoy the ordinary happiness that others take for granted every day?”
Homosexuality has been legal in mainland China since 1997 although LGBT+ residents can still face numerous challenges including discrimination at work and in the provision of goods and services.
There are, as yet, no legal recognitions for same-sex couples and gay couples may not adopt children jointly.
© chrisbradshaw Depositphotos
Pride8 also sees the return of ShanghaiPRIDE Film Festival (ShPFF), which will host screenings June 19-26 in addition to its second annual short film competition, with the theme of “Gender.”
Through April 14, ShPFF will accept short-film submissions from filmmakers of all backgrounds that tell LGBTQ Chinese stories.
Last year’s inaugural competition received more than 30 entries, and this year’s participants will again have the opportunity to win a spot at the UK’s prestigious Iris Prize Festival and compete for Iris’ £30,000 top award.
Find out more about ShanghaiPRIDE at their website.
