With the Amsterdam Pride in full swing, it’s the perfect moment to take a look at some developments in the LGBT+ community in China. We talk with Luke, one of the initiators of LGBT+ platform Gayspot and our Policy Officer Maarten Heetderks.
Realizing awareness
It’s like it was just yesterday, as Luke reminisces about his motivation to start Gayspot. Already during university he became active in the LGBT-rights community. Together with a team and support of another NGO, he set up the Gayspot platform. By now, Gayspot is one of the leading LGBT magazines in China, sharing articles on their website and social media channels. As Luke explains: “It is of the utmost importance to give a voice to the community.”
When Luke started his journey there was little information about the LGBT-lifestyle. One of the only topics which was discussed was HIV-checkups. “As such, many people were unfamiliar with the subject of LGBT. There was no reporting on the topic and people often married anyway. We write articles about everything, ranging from culture to lifestyle to equality. By sharing people’s stories we’ve managed to realize more awareness. Awareness doesn’t equal support, but it’s a first step,” says Luke.