SISTERS' SECRET SOCIETY

• Source: Global Times
• [22:42 January 19 2010]
• Comments

Liu Jun (left) and Qiqige star in Pagoda. Photo: courtesy of the Les Plus Studio

By Zhang Lei

As the founder of the mainland's only lesbian magazine was attending the gay Olympics in Copenhagen, she didn't realize that her publication was being shut down by authorities that same September afternoon.

An unphased Sam Zhao of Les Plus magazine returned from Denmark and committed to an even bigger plan: to stage China's first play about lesbian issues in Beijing. History happens at the Nine Theater 7:30 pm today.

Pagoda, adapted from the Legend of the White Snake, portrays "the hidden life of the most secluded females in China", their struggle with themselves and conflicts with society, Zhao said.

"We hope to inspire potential lesbians and make the community more visible in society," Zhao said.

"And we hope to reach a broader audience beyond the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community," said Xiao Hei, an editor at Les Plus.

Aside from Les Plus, a number of gay websites have recently been closed down in official clampdowns.

Authorities shut down some of these sites because they falsely connect "gay" with vulgar pornography, according to Xu Bin, the founder of Common Language, the first organization in China representing lesbian, bisexual women and transgender people.

"The play has somehow gained a certain openness, but the people involved can't be totally at ease," Xu said.

The pressure is growing on participants as media attention inevitably focuses on the sexuality of the all-female cast.

Selected by open recruitment, the four young amateur actresses remained cautious before the media, stating they were just acting roles and their own sexual orientation has nothing to do with the play.

"I never care what others say about me," 22-year-old Gong Xiaolü told the Global Times. A feminine-looking Gong ducked all questions about her personal knowledge of LGBT issues.

Today's play brings both opportunity and uncertainty.

"We can never say whether it will be a hit or be ignored," said Trinity Chen, an editor of Les Plus. "Like most things we've done, we committed ourselves heart and soul to this project even though there is only a slim chance of success."

Taboo

The Chinese language version of The Vagina Monologues, the play about women's sexual self-discovery, was shut down on three separate occasions in Beijing and Shanghai until finally last year the play was performed with the slightly more obscure title of The V Monologues (V Dubai).

Most recently on Friday night, the Mr Gay China contest was shut down by Beijing police an hour before it was to begin. Pagoda director Xiao Wei, who also starred in The V Monologues , said this play celebrates universal love and encourages people to break out of a narrow mindset.

"The ultimate goal is to help people gain control over their own lives, no mat-ter whether they're gay or not," Xu said.

China has about 10 million lesbians and most are married to a man, according to Zhang Beichuan, a professor at Qingdao University and expert on HIV/ AIDS prevention and homosexuality.

The gay movement faltered forward 1995-2000, but stalled at the turn of the millennium, Xu said. Until 1997, men practicing gay sex were convicted as "hooligans" under criminal law. The Chinese Psychiatric Association in 2001 removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders.

Steady, unremarkable progress began again in 2005, as lesbian salons, camps and a magazine emerged at about the same time, mostly in Beijing.

"It was inevitable that lesbian organizations arose amid the development of NGOs against the backdrop of a civil society," Xu said.