SHANGHAI: It's cold evening as the two sit huddled underneath a large blanket as they sip their tea and slurp their noodles. The heater has stopped working and they are just looking for some warmth before heading home to their small studio. There are few looks as they eat, but for this couple, they are not the normal in China: they are women. Lesbians. Times are changing for Liu and Zi, who told Bikyanews.com that in hip upscale Shanghai, they face little resistance to their lifestyle. “That is if we keep it private and do not go around kissing and touching too intimately,” said Liu, who at 29-years-old has already established herself as a marketing consultant for a few Chinese companies looking to go abroad and expand. “Life is good, but we can't really try to do much more than our current relationship allows. I would like to marry Zi and start a family. We'll see if that happens.” It might, but most analysts and observers do not expect China to be the first Asian country to push marriage equality. For the East Asian economic giant, it is a slow process, and while not garnering much international attention, local activists are hopeful that they can start to build their presence to put China's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community on the global stage. This week has given this late 20s couple some hope as a couple in a similar position attempted to register their love as a marriage in the country. The two women were brushed aside and reportedly treated poorly by governmental workers. “When the couple expressed the desire to get married, the person behind the desk was visibly shocked and annoyed, and told the two visitors to consult another department,” said a statement from the Beijing LGBT Center. “When the couple further asked this staff member about marriage equality in China, the staff got up and left, leaving the lesbian couple without a choice but to exit.” Parents of gay children also spoke out in a positive week that Zi believes will help bring LGBT issues to the mainstream. The parents wrote an open letter to the National People's Congress asking the government to legalize gay marriage. “Our children are unable to legally form a family with their beloved partners, because of their sexual orientation, which has caused a great deal of inconvenience for them in a number of ways, including in everyday life and when they seek medical treatment,” said the letter from over 100 parents who are members of PFLAG China. Zi was all smiles when the letter was brought up. “I think it's great for them to show that people like us exist.” The letter continued to say that “some of our children have been with their same-sex partners for almost ten years; they care for and love each other dearly, but they are unable to legally sign for their partners when they are ill and in need of an operation.” The letter continues that it's “incredible” that their gay children can legally marry members of the opposite sex even though they don't love them. The parents say that this leads to the widespread problem of fake marriages in China. “We strongly request that National People's Congress (NPC) delegates and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) committee members give their attention to this matter … so that China's 60 million homosexual citizens can have an equal right to marry,” the letter concluded, arguing that three to five percent of China's population is gay. Director of PFLAG China Ah Qiang told the South China Morning Post that he has not received a response to the letter from any NPC delegates over the matter. Don't expect it said Zi. “We can try, but right now I doubt the government cares. There just aren't enough LGBT people speaking out about our future and our love,” she added. BN
