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LGBTQ culture in Shanghai

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The city of Shanghai, China, has an LGBT community.

Hongwei Bao, author of "Queering/Querying Cosmopolitanism: Queer Spaces in Shanghai," stated that the LGBT community in Shanghai has a more cautious attitude compared to LGBT communities in other Chinese cities.[1] Bao wrote that there is a sense that Shanghai has a culture superior to that of other areas in China and that "Shanghai’s gay identity bears the imprint of this self-identified cultural superiority brought about by their experience with colonialism and capitalism in the twentieth century."[1]

History

In the period prior to 1949, there was an LGBT culture in Shanghai. After 1949 and until the 1970s, this was suppressed. Cruising areas, including public toilets, river banks, and parks, were used in the 1970s and 1980s. They were known as beats, or dian'er in Chinese.[2] By 2012 wealthier LGBT persons began visiting bars, cafes, restaurants, and shopping areas.[3]

Geography

In 2009, Aric Chen of The New York Times stated that the "epicenter" of the LGBT community is the "Gay Triangle," three bars in the French Concession. They are: Eddy's Bar (Chinese: 艾迪酒吧; pinyin: Àidí Jiǔbā), Shanghai Studio, and Transit Lounge Shanghai (TL).[4] Wealthier and non-Chinese LGBT persons meet in communities in wealthier communities, while working class LGBT persons meet in less wealthy areas such as Hongkou District and Yangpu District.[3] Transit Lounge Shanghai has closed.[5]

LGBT establishments

Eddy's, Shanghai's first gay bar, opened in 1995 and moved to its current location in 2001.[6] Erdingmu and the other first gay bars also opened in the early 1990s. The number of gay businesses and bars sharply increased by the late 1990s.[3]

Lucca Cafe and Lounge

Lucca Cafe and Lounge
The bar's exterior in December 2015
Former names390 Bar
Address390 Panyu Lu (番禺路390号)
LocationShanghai, China
TypeGay bar

Lucca Cafe and Lounge (often abridged as Lucca) is a gay bar located at 390 Panyu Lu (番禺路390号) in Changning District, Shanghai. It has been described as Shanghai's "most popular" gay bar.[7] It opened in 2015 as a rebranded version of 390 Bar, which closed in December 2014.[8] Ownership did not change during the transition, and Lucca's interior and atmosphere are "strikingly similar" to 390.[7][8] Time Out Shanghai said Lucca has "chilled, casual weekday vibes, and raucous, drag-tastic disco-dancing Friday and Saturday nights".[8][9] SmartShanghai described the venue as "somewhere between a dive and a nice spot, with reasonably priced drinks and a decent crowd on Fridays and Saturdays. Not an intense, circuit club vibe. More like chilling, cocktails, some dancing."[10] The bar's menu includes burgers, pastas, and pizzas.[9]

On December 12, 2014, Changning district authorities shut down 390 Bar and escorted the DJs and staff to jail, where they remained for less than 24 hours. The bar opened the next day and continued to operate until December 16, when authorities returned and shut down a comedy event at 9pm. 390's management said, "Basically, until we can figure out what's the current reason for the continued early closing requests, and how we can comply in any way possible to our local police friends, we will remain closed."[11] SmartShanghai's Alastair Sloan, who described 390 as a "(beloved) pansexual live house", called the closure "unfortunate, and, frankly, pretty damn frustrating news for Shanghai nightlife".[11] Time Out Shanghai's Josh Ovans said of the bar's closure and reopening, "390 wasn't broke so didn't need fixing, so we're pleased it's found its way back onto the map, especially as it dishes out fun like no other gay venue in Shanghai. After all, what would have happened to the Annual Drag Queen competition? It doesn't bear thinking about."[8]

Institutions

The first ever lala (lesbian, female bisexual, and transgender male to female) group in Shanghai is the Shanghai Nvai Lesbian Group.[12]

Bao wrote that there are many LGBT-related non-governmental organizations in Shanghai, and that an employee of one LGBT NGO told him that the NGOs in Shanghai have better relations to one another compared to the LGBT NGOs in other Chinese cities.[13]

The LGBT community in Shanghai uses several websites, including the listserv ShanghaiLGBT.[14]

Education

In 2005 Fudan University began offering an LGBT studies program. This was the first course on LGBT culture offered in a Mainland Chinese university.[15]

Recreation

Shanghai Pride is the gay pride event in Shanghai. As of 2009 it is co-organized by both Chinese and non-Chinese. The events include art exhibitions, panel discussions, films, and theater productions.[16] By 2013 the amount of Chinese participation has increased. As of that year there is no parade component.[17] Organizers stated that this was the first LGBT festival in China; there are individuals, mostly Chinese LGBT activists, who say that there were organized LGBT events that occurred prior to Shanghai Pride.[18]

Sharon Owyang, the author of Frommer's Shanghai, stated that Chinese society sees all sexual relations in a puritanical manner, so Shanghai does not have specialized LGBT resources; however she stated "Shanghai is quite tolerant of gay and lesbian travelers".[19]

Shanghai LGBT Tourism Week, the largest local LGBT carnival in China, is held on October 1–7 in Shanghai. During this week，local well-known LGBT organizations are invited to host a series of activities including recreational，charity, cultural and physical activities. The aim of Shanghai LGBT Tourism Week is to encourage Chinese LGBT people to come out of the closet showing themselves, and enhance the exposure and visibility of Chinese LGBT community. 2015 Shanghai LGBT Tourism Week attracted over 30,000 people from the global, and raised tens of thousands yuan for non-profit organizations.

See also

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b Bao, Hongwei, p. 101.
  2. ^ Bao, Hongwei, p. 102.
  3. ^ a b c Bao, Hongwei, p. 103.
  4. ^ Chen, Aric. "New Day for Shanghai Nights." The New York Times. June 28, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  5. ^ Home page. Transit Lounge Shanghai. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  6. ^ "Shanghai's best quiet gay bars" (Archive). Time Out Shanghai. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Lucca Café & Lounge". City Weekend. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d Ovans, Josh (13 March 2015). "390 reopens as Lucca". Time Out Shanghai. Time Out Group. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Lucca". Time Out Shanghai. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Lucca". SmartShanghai. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  11. ^ a b Sloan, Alastair (23 December 2014). "Closed: 390, Shanghai Studio". SmartShanghai. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
  12. ^ Kam, Lucetta, p. 8.
  13. ^ Bao, p. 105.
  14. ^ Rauhala, Emily. "Shanghai Pride: China Gay Pride Festival Its First Ever" (Archive). Global Post at the Huffington Post. July 16, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  15. ^ "Shanghai University to Offer China’s First Program In Gay Culture" (Archive). Associated Press at Diverse Education. September 8, 2005. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  16. ^ Qian, Yanfeng. "Shanghai hosts first gay pride festival" (Archive). China Daily. June 10, 2009. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  17. ^ RNW China Desk. "Shanghai Celebrates 5th Gay Pride Festival" (Archive). Radio Netherlands Worldwide. June 18, 2013. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Bao, Hongwei, p. 98.
  19. ^ Owyang, Sharon. Frommer's Shanghai (Volume 630 of Frommer's Complete Guides). John Wiley & Sons, November 2, 2010. 6th Edition. ISBN 0470437944, 9780470437940. p. 58. Retrieved on September 26, 2014.
  20. ^ "Dr. KAM Yip Lo, Lucetta | 金曄路博士." Hong Kong Baptist University. Retrieved on 26 September 2014.

Further reading

  • Talking about Their Love: An Oral History of Women Who Love Women in Shanghai (他们的爱再说：爱上女人的女人。上海。口述历史I – Tamen de ai zaishuo: Aishang nüren de nüren. Shanghai. Koushulishi I") (2008).
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