In a chilling crackdown on LGBTQ expression, Chinese authorities have arrested dozens of writers for publishing gay erotica online, many of them young women in their 20s. According to The New York Times, police in Gansu province recently detained as many as 50 writers. Lawyers told the BBC that at least 30 writers have been arrested nationwide since February.
Many of these writers shared their stories on Haitang Literature, a Taiwan-based adult fiction website where authors earn money through reader subscriptions and tips. A popular genre on the site is “danmei,” which focuses on romantic and sexual relationships between men. Under China’s 1997 law banning pornographic materials, even writing fictional erotic content can be a criminal offense.
Those earning more than $34,500 can face life in prison. But even writers making little or no money have been arrested. A special task force in Anhui province detained more than 50 writers from June to January. Sentences have ranged from one to five years, sometimes depending on whether the writers could return the money they earned.
Some tried to share their experiences on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter. One woman wrote:
“I’ll never forget it — being escorted to the car in full view, enduring the humiliation of stripping naked for examination in front of strangers, putting on a vest for photos, sitting in the chair, shaking with fear, my heart pounding.”
Another wrote:
“Right now, I can only hope the law will see beyond the words on the page – and see the girl who skipped meals to save money, the girl who sold her hair to buy a pen, the girl who believed her mind could carve a way through fate. I hope it gives all of us a fair chance.”
For LGBTQ communities worldwide, it’s a sobering reminder: queer storytelling remains a courageous—and sometimes criminalized—act.
