Chinese authorities arrest dozens of women for writing and publishing gay erotic fiction
– 2 min read
Chinese authorities have detained more than 30 young women for writing and publishing gay erotic fiction online, in what critics are calling a severe escalation of censorship targeting LGBTQ+ content and female authors.
The arrests, which began in February and have intensified in recent weeks, focus on writers of danmei (耽美) — a genre of romantic and erotic fiction centred on male-male relationships, widely popular among young women in China. Most of the detained authors are in their twenties and had published their work on platforms such as Haitang Literature City, a Taiwan-based site known for hosting LGBTQ+ fiction.
The writers are being prosecuted under China’s obscenity laws, which criminalise the production and distribution of “obscene materials.” Legal experts note that these laws are disproportionately applied to same-sex content, while heterosexual erotica often escapes similar scrutiny.
One author, known online as Pingping Anan Yongfu, briefly shared her experience of detention on Weibo before the post was removed. She described being publicly escorted, stripped for inspection, and forced to wear a suspect’s vest for official photographs. “I trembled with fear,” she wrote, before her account was deleted.
Although homosexuality was decriminalised in China in 1997 and removed from the list of mental illnesses in 2001, LGBTQ+ rights remain severely restricted. Same-sex marriage is not recognised, and censorship of queer content in media and literature is widespread.
The danmei genre, inspired by Japanese Boys’ Love manga, has grown into a massive subculture in China, with some stories adapted into high-grossing films and dramas. In 2021 alone, over 60 such novels were turned into screen projects, with adaptation rights fetching millions.
Critics argue that the crackdown is not only an attack on LGBTQ+ expression but also a gendered assault on female creativity and autonomy. “These stories offer a space for women to explore identity and desire outside traditional gender norms,” said one anonymous activist. “Targeting them is about control, not morality.”
While some of the arrested writers have been released on bail, others remain in custody. Those who profited from their work may face harsher sentences, with potential prison terms exceeding ten years.
