This is a big moment for China. Celebrating Gay Pride for the first time, young Chinese are thinking about what it means to be different and proud of it. Although being gay was classified as a mental illness until 2001, gay culture has developed rapidly. Fudan University opened a post-graduate gay studies course in 2003. While only one student actually took the course for credit, the class rapidly gained student interest and by 2004, students were lining the walls (but still not for credit). In 2008, they added two more gay studies related courses. The classes, while well attended, still are primarily not taken for credit.

Whereas before, parks, bath houses and tea houses were co-opted as the only gay meeting spots, now bars and clubs cater to gay clientele. Although intermittently opening and closing, these spaces, coupled with rising media coverage and on and offline groups show maturation for the Chinese gay community. Numbering more than 30 million, gays are testing the limits of acceptance in bigger cities and have benefited from individualistic and tolerant younger generations.

Sam

“I don’t care if society accepts gays. I live for fun, not for society.” - Joyce, 22, female, Shanghai, secretary

“It is gay pride month so we are starting an online activity - adding (R) in front of your MSN name or changing your MSN picture to a rainbow to support your gay friends. Of course, we will have offline activities too. The point is, we need to get together and encourage each other.” - Sam, female, 24, Beijing, editor of “Les+”

Joyce

For young gays and lesbians, information about gay culture can be sparse.

“I joined some lesbian communities and take part in activities but, I have to say, there are not enough ways for us to learn more about gay culture. I would like to join gay pride week if I were in Shanghai, I would expect to make more friends there.” – Susan, 24, f, freelancer, Lanzhou

"Most TV shows in China are talking about gay culture on the surface. Websites are more real. I go to boya, friends don't cry and love gay. I am not interested in gay pride week at all. why pride? We are gay and just normal people. This gay pride week is kind of fake in my eyes. I am more interested in small-scale parties." - Haisheng, 25, m, musician, Nanjing

“My gay role models are (designers) Dolce and Gabbana. I began to imagine my life as a gay person right after I bought my first D&G bag. I go to a gay group on Douban every week to meet new friends. Because I don’t know where the gay community is in Shanghai, usually I just go to clubs with my girlfriends. I feel really comfortable when I get drunk and make out with girls. (I don’t want to take my boyfriend with me and I don’t think I’m cheating on him anyway).” - Joyce, 22, f, secretary, Shanghai

“My lesbian role model is a local celebrity called Xian. She encouraged me to join the lesbian movement in 2005, which helped me learn more about being lesbian.” - Sam, female, 24, Beijing, editor of “Les+”