Worth reading the article, all erotica was targeted, as porn is illegal in China. Implying only gay erotica was targeted implies a homophobic focus, when it was anti-pornography.
Important distinction.
You’re right, the source of course is only talking about the 10, because it is relevant to them. Title doesn’t matter.
But, the government as a whole is homophobic or same-sex marriage would be legal.
Do you feel people should be imprisoned for writing erotic fiction?
Good point. The issue at hand must be understood within the broader framework of state power and ideological control. While it's true that the immediate justification for these arrests is rooted in anti-pornography laws, the enforcement of such laws is not ideologically neutral. Under a socialist analysis, we must examine who these laws serve and who they suppress. The targeting of erotic writers—particularly LGBTQ+ creators—fits into a pattern of reinforcing bourgeois morality and suppressing dissenting or marginalized voices.
Sexuality, as part of the superstructure, is inherently tied to the base. In a society where the state aligns itself with heteronormative and patriarchal values, laws purportedly aimed at "protecting morality" often become tools of repression against communities and expressions that deviate from the status quo. The absence of legal protections for LGBTQ+ people and the lack of recognition for same-sex marriage in China is a clear indication of the state’s alignment with reactionary values, even as it claims to uphold socialism.
Marxists should oppose the imprisonment of writers for exploring erotic themes because these laws serve to restrict the free development of human creativity and reinforce the control of the state over the personal lives of individuals. Engels, in The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, critiques how oppressive social norms are used to maintain class society. Similarly, the suppression of erotic fiction is not about protecting the people but about consolidating ideological control over the masses, maintaining a culture of obedience and fear.
We must also critique the broader pattern of repression. Mass arrests, whether for writing fiction or other nonviolent expressions, represent the actions of a state more concerned with controlling its people than advancing their material conditions. A truly proletarian state would encourage the flourishing of diverse cultural expressions as part of the revolutionary process, not silence them under the pretext of "morality."
This crackdown is not an isolated incident but part of a larger reactionary turn in the governance of China. As communists, we must oppose these repressive measures and advocate for a society where the working class—not the state bureaucracy—has control over cultural and ideological production. Liberation includes the liberation of human expression from the chains of both commodification and state repression.
Holy shit, a real communist on ML? Finally. Very well said, thank you.
China should definitely be better about LGBT rights, don't get me wrong, but they have been improving steadily over the years, the youth are more socially progressive and have been pushing for change, which is coming gradually. Overall, this is very much an instance of intentionally obscuring the real character of the events in order to push a narrative.
Well, the people of china and the government are different. The government is firm in its stance, and is not improving at all. Since the people have very little control over their government, I don’t see this changing anytime soon.
I do agree that the article title was geared towards the audience that usually reads that website—like most websites. However, Regardless of the specific event, the CCP is not interested in the LGBT community.
What about you? Do you think that same-sex couples should be able to marry in China?
The people in China approve the government at about a 95% approval rate. The CPC has 96 million members out of the 1.4 billion citizens of China, while this is not mean the government is the people, the people do seem to be represented by government well there. And this is backed by improving material conditions. LGBT conditions are improving over time as well, Jin Xing is an openly transgender celebrity and she is beloved by the country. You should also look into how China's democracy works, as it is based from the bottom up in consensus building, which is why grassroots change is slow yet sure.
When sharing an article highlighting that LGBT erotica was targeted, and not erotica in general, you attempt to twist and massage a narrative. Even state media reports are quite positive and open minded regarding the LGBT community for supposedly being "firmly against them." Demographics within the National Party Congress are changing towards a younger demographic as well. The older generations oppose same-sex marriage, while the younger generations are for it, so these changing demographics are positive for same-sex marriage outlook. You don't really seem to know what you're talking about at all, and it shows.
Regarding your targeted question, I myself am pansexual, of course I want same-sex marriage to be legalized in China. There are already strides being made in the direction of legal and medical rights for couples even without being legally recognized as a marriage, but this is positive change. I hope China follows in Cuba's footsteps with their Family Code, one of the most progressive and expansive in the world, far surpassing the US at a federal level. Signs are positive.
And do you think people should be imprisoned for writing erotic fiction?
Probably not, but that's not the point of my original comment, that the headline you chose seems to imply only LGBT erotica was targeted. I think you should check out the links I sent, you might learn something new and can be more hopeful for the future.
Yes, porn is illegal in China. All porn. They weren't targeted for being gay, as both this article and the original Chinese language article points out. They don't get special treatment for producing gay literature either way.
i'm so happy to see pink washing not working on lemmy; it makes me proud to be here.
Can’t have anything nice in china. Sad.
Opposing the sex industry is a common and principled left stance. It is only in capitalist countries where their cops are funded to harrass people and Johns are rarely punished where there has been a need for a "sex work is work" movement.
In countries run or established by communists, they were often facing racial or otherwise imperialist systemic rape ("comfort women" for Japanese imperialists, for example), recognized how this worked in both slavery and "transactional" capacities, and correctly banned it. Things like erotica were swept up in this total purge of marketing sex, and enforcement is inconsistent as it is usually regional.
Please so your best to educate yourself, be accurate in your summaries, and to not be sinophobic.
Sex workers are workers, end of story.
I understand you Americans have fucked up views on sex workers and treat them like shit, but that is on you.
Also Australia women were taken as comfort women by Japan, and yet we still legalise and protect our sex workers.
Sex workers are workers, end of story.
Most things labelled "sex work" are actually human trafficking and most Western left groups that oppose expansion of the sex industry and even want it banned are made up of former "sex workers". So no, not end of story, you do need to actually investigate the topic and understand it as more than a slogan.
I understand you Americans have fucked up views on sex workers and treat them like shit, but that is on you.
This is not exclusive to the United States.
Also Australia women were taken as comfort women by Japan, and yet we still legalise and protect our sex workers.
Was Australia occupied and had its people constantly forced into slavery roles, including rape, by the occupiers? Comparing a handful of captured during the war vs. decades of occupation and society-level abuse is disgusting.
Since you are presumably in Australia, can you tell me some stats on human trafficking there?
And all work is coercive.
So what's it called when you coerce someone for sex?
Things like erotica were swept up in this total purge of marketing sex, and enforcement is inconsistent as it is usually regional.
A convenient excuse to stifle a person's consenting sexuality and agency. Written erotica hurts no one, and those arguing otherwise are falling into their authoritarian tendencies.
If you don't like sex work like pictured/video pornography and prostitution I can at least understand your reasoning. Both have massive issues of trafficking and sexual slavery. But swinging the hammer down like this on written erotica is purely authoritarian. And trying to justify arrests made as "inconsistent enforcement" is giving cover, purposeful or otherwise, to that authoritarianism.
Sex work IS work. Erotica IS sex work. Please try to educate yourself.
In total there were 50 people arrested, in case anyone thinks China was only targeting gay erotica. They just hate porn.
Whatever it takes to reduce the blow to china right?
Odd sentiment from someone deliberately lying for the purposes of propaganda
Are you even getting paid for this?
That’s rich coming from .ml
Would you like a more state sponsored telling?:
You deliberately misled people by telling a partial truth and your response to being called out is "lol you're from the instance I'm posting on"?
You come here and deliberately lie to do propaganda and at the same time you're backslapping about how you're fishing for a ban to parade around. You should get banned. You're a bad actor.
The correct response to being corrected on media illiteracy is "thank you".
I see, op is very concerned about the incorrect inpriosioning of regular folks. Im sure if we look at his history we will find lots of posts against the mass incarceration of Black folks in the USA, or the arrest of protesters against genocide, or the policial brutality in western countries. Im sure
Whataboutism. We all know the USA is full of shit. Next.
We shall call the likes of you CBB (China bad bot)
Ain’t that the pot and the kettle? 🤪
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