A Hong Kong broadcaster is about to release China’s first gay-themed TV show. Although the program will air only over the Internet, it’s a big step for a country that treated homosexuality, or “buggery,” as a mental illness until 2001.

BBC:

It will be a forum for gay people “to get in touch with each other and communicate”, Gang told Reuters news agency.

“In a lot of major Chinese cities, gay people are playing sports, swimming, working out, singing karaoke – they are getting together in all types of activities,” he said.

The show is a sign that attitudes to gay rights are slowly changing, says the BBC’s Dan Griffiths in Beijing.

Things have moved on, but many gays still have a difficult struggle in the face of traditional ideas about the family, especially those living in more conservative rural areas, our correspondent says.

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#china#culture#gay rights#homosexuality#hong kong#media