Despite the difference in Pride Month celebrations between the two cities, Beijing's LGBTQ scene is in ascendance – helped by increasing openness to connection online from when the coronavirus pandemic was severe in China earlier this year.
Confronting Sexuality and Identity in China
Expecting to ring in the New Year at a Beijing bar, Tomoko Kikuchi met Meimei, a drag queen who invited her to a performance at a lesbian bar. An argument broke out between two women in the crowd, and Meimei performed amid flying beers and blood.
Their encounter led to an exploration of drag queen culture in China, which, despite its history of theatrical cross-dressing, is not particularly known for open views on sexuality. Nearly a decade later, Ms. Kikuchi says that her project, “I and I,” is more than the story of people confronting their sexuality. It’s about people confronting themselves . Read More