Sexuality in China
[1] Chinese sexual attitudes, behaviors, ideology, and relations have especially gone through dramatic shifts in the past four decades due to reform and opening up of the country.
From the sociological perspective, there have been several main factors that have created the current turning point in the contemporary Chinese social context.
[4] The denial of the ideals of the Cultural Revolution, during which sex was used as a political tool to control people, is an influential factor in making changes in Chinese society.
Many sex-related issues and personal lifestyles are no longer relegated to the field of politics and thus exempt from severe legal punishment or moral condemnation.
The committed parties no longer need certification or confirmation from their place of work or the local Resident Committee to get married or divorced.
The new principles reflect a greater respect for human rights, a protection of marital freedom, and a change in the governmental function with regards to sexual issues.
If a couple can give birth to one child only, sexual behavior is no longer solely practiced to produce babies but also for pleasure.
[6] Material wealth and an increase in quality of life have brought optimism and consumerism which continually send messages to the individual that it is acceptable to seek sexual happiness.
Video shops, big or small, sell sexually oriented films produced either by domestic or foreign directors.
[citation needed][7] The pursuit of profit may well push sexual minorities such as gays and lesbians to appeal for their rights not just for legal reasons but also to tap into their particular market niches.
[5] In a stable, developing economy and consumer culture, an emphasis on individual enjoyment and a respect for differentiation and diversity are now well established and perhaps even flourishing in an atmosphere of confidence and optimism.
The new lifestyle in sexuality fields such as the DINK — "double income, no kids"—family, single groups, and cohabitating couples who violate the traditional sex norms are led by middle-class people.
The rise and growth of this middle class has the potential to produce various sexual emancipation discourses, including homosexuality, to break the silence in Chinese society.
[failed verification][13] Mainstream feminist discourse in China tends to ignore sexuality issues, considering those topics either unimportant or as stirring up unnecessary trouble.
It critiques traditional double standards governing sexual behavior, challenging norms that prescribe men to be assertive and proactive while portraying women as passive and inert.
The internet, in particular, stands out as one of the most influential agents, exerting significant impact on the Chinese population by fostering alliances, sharing knowledge, and offering a platform for diverse voices to be heard.
[17] The Internet has also played a significant role in promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) identities in China.
Websites catering to the gay and lesbian community often have short lifespans due to government internet regulations and controls.
Additionally, despite the increasing online presence of LGBT identities, the community remains marginalized within China's dominant discourse on sexuality.
"[19] Urbanization in China has been accelerating the sexual revolution by providing people with more private space and freedom to enjoy sex, as compared with what was afforded by the traditional countryside way of life.
In 2010, Ma Xiaohai, a 53-year-old computer science professor,[21] was sentenced to 3 1⁄2 years in prison[21] for organising wife-swapping events,[22] breaking the "group licentiousness law" (聚众淫乱罪).
The proposed Love Land sex theme park in Chongqing, southwest China, was never opened due to government pressure.
[23][24] The park was to include displays of giant genitalia and naked bodies, and host an exhibition on the history of human sexuality along with sex technique workshops.
[26] The theme park was originally due to be opened in October 2009, but was demolished earlier that year, since it was deemed to be a negative influence on Chinese society.
