China crackdown on gay erotica stifles rare outlet for LGBTQ expression

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The boys love genre of erotic fiction has attracted a cult following in Asia and beyond.

PHOTO: REUTERS

BEIJING – Chinese women who publish homo-erotica online say they are being threatened with fines and jail time, as increasing enforcement of vague obscenity charges targets a rare space for LGBTQ identity and feminism.

In recent months, Chinese police have detained dozens of writers on Haitang Literature City, a Taiwan-based website known for publishing serialised boys’ love, a genre of erotic fiction mainly written and read by heterosexual women.

Originating as a strand of Japanese manga comics in the 1960s known as “yaoi”, the genre has attracted a cult following in Asia and beyond, leading to popular screen adaptations and web series.

The stories defy social stereotypes about the roles of men and women, a 22-year-old writer who asked to go by the pseudonym Miu Miu told AFP.

“It’s a kind of resistance... resisting a male-dominated society,” she said.

The latest crackdown ensnared mostly amateur writers who earned little to nothing for their work.

Under Chinese law, profiting from “spreading obscene content” can lead to fines and imprisonment. Serious instances can carry jail terms of up to a decade.

The obscenity law applies when someone’s work gets at least 10,000 clicks or is used to collect fees exceeding 10,000 yuan (S$1,800).

While the law excludes “artistic works or works of artistic value”, that distinction is usually left to police.

“The rules are outdated,” said a lawyer representing one of the authors and who asked not to be named due to the risk of repercussions.

“The general public’s attitude