Not that we’re surprised! Human rights has never been on the country’s agenda!
Police have canceled China’s first gay pageant just an hour before it was about to start!
On Friday, the Mr. Gay China pageant was to take place in an upscale night club in Beijing, which featured a fashion show and host in drag until authorities showed up.
“They said the content, meaning homosexuality, there’s nothing wrong with that, but you did not do things according to procedures,” said witness Ben Zhang.
Officials told him that he needed government approval for events that included performance, but they have been known to harass the gay community and break up any gatherings deemed politically sensitive.
“I feel really sad. This was going to be a very good event to show a positive image of gay people,” said Wei Xiaogang, said event judge and host of Queer Comrades, a popular Internet talk-show on gay issues.
The pageant was a step in the right direction for a country that had homosexuality on a list of mental disorders until 2001 and criminalized sodomy until 1997.
The winner of Mr. Gay China was to compete in the worldwide Mr. Gay pageant in Oslo, Norway, but judges will still send a contestant to compete.
Lot of luck, fellas!