China Gov't-backed gay bar re-opens

[endoftheroad 1]

Coincides with Houston, Texas electing their first openly gay mayor.

China Gov't-backed gay bar re-opens

The first government-backed gay bar in China has opened in a quiet way after being delayed for almost three weeks due to intense media attention.

Without ribbon cutting, a simple ceremony was nevertheless held to mark the opening of the bar Saturday night in the tourist city of Dali in southwestern Yunnan Province.

More than 60 people, mostly gay men, and 10 volunteers, also gays, attended the ceremony. Customers were given condoms free of charge.

"Their arrival gave me great support. Some of them came from outside Dali specially for the opening," Zhang Jianbo, the bar's owner, told Xinhua in a telephone interview Sunday.

The bar was originally scheduled to open on Dec. 1, the World AIDS Day. But Zhang delayed it to protect the privacy of the volunteers and customers after intensive media coverage.

"I have worried that the media reports may discourage them from entering the bar again. But such a thing did not happen," he said.

No media journalists were present at the opening ceremony Saturday night, he said.

Zhang, 36, is also director of the Dermatological Department of the Dali Municipal No. 2 People's Hospital and founder of the Dali HIV/AIDS Prevention and Health Association, a non-governmental organization.

"Starting from Dec. 20, the bar will open nine hours every day, from 3 p.m. to 12 p.m.," he said.

The minimum charge at the bar is a bottle of Coca Cola at five yuan (74 U.S. cents), and tea and some snacks are free, he said.

"The charges are just for the need of bar operation, and we are not aiming for profits. Customers need not worry about that," he added.

More understanding, tolerance

Zhang and his colleagues hope that the bar can provide a platform to educate gay men about AIDS, as a report released last month by UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) and China's Ministry of Health alerted the nation to the spread of HIV/AIDS among gay men.

Health Minister Chen Zhu said sexual transmission has become the major cause of infection, accounting for more than 70 percent of all newly detected HIV/AIDS cases, and sexual transmission among gay men accounted for 32 percent.

The ministry and the UNAIDS estimate that China will have 560,000 to 920,000 living HIV carriers, with 97,000 to 112,000 AIDS patients by the end of 2009.

"Gay men sometimes cannot find a proper place to exchange thoughts with others. Here in the bar, they can relieve their psychological pressure and educate each other about AIDS knowledge, which can help prevent the spread of AIDS," said the bar manager using an alias, Xiao Tao.

The bar is also open to other customers besides gay men, Zhang said.

"They are welcome here, but we hope they can communicate with gay men in a peaceful way, which is the first step for them to learn about the gay group," he said.

"They will be more tolerant to the group if they get more understanding about them," he said.

A 19-year-old university student in Shanghai, a gay man with an alias Yan Zi, said he has paid close attention to the gay bar for a long time.

"I am very happy to know that the bar finally opens, which shows the government and general public give more understanding to us," he said.

A 24-year-old resident surnamed Yue in southern Guangzhou City, who claimed to have good friends that are gays, said "They make outstanding achievements in work. I do not care about whether they are gay or not. That is their privacy."

Chinese media praised the role of the local government in supporting the establishment of the gay bar, although officials denied the government had directly funded the bar.

Homosexuality is still a sensitive topic in China.

The Dali Municipal Health Bureau allocated 120,000 yuan (17,650 U.S. dollars) to the No. 2 hospital this year for the AIDS prevention, but media had mistaken the money as a special fund for the bar, Li Jun, director bureau, told reporters earlier this month.

"The bar was initiated by Zhang's association," he said.

Meanwhile, the local government had voiced explicit support for the bar.

"The government has no intention of closing the bar. On the contrary, we support its normal operation," said Zhao Hui, a spokesman for the Dali municipal government, when he was asked whether the government was behind the postponement.

According to Zhang, the fund for opening the bar mainly came from the association itself and two international NGOs.

"In addition, some of the money was indeed from the 120,000-yuan AIDS prevention fund from the No. 2 hospital, though not so much," he said.

Xiao Tao said the local health authorities have provided them much assistance in the education of AIDS prevention.

"That will encourage gays, though their own voices and actions, to give the government some suggestions in policy-making related to AIDS prevention," he added.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2009-12/21/c...nt_19101803.htm

[Darnell 8,479]

*yawn*.

[Ban Hammer 13,474]

personal attack removed.

gays i know in china are not out of the closet. ** stuff is just not on the agenda for chinese society. too many wanna be grandparents for that stuff. the gays i know are married with child and keep lovers on the side.

as for the reported number of aids patients, well, it's wildly understated. the number one cause of aids in china is not ** sex. it is needle sharing in the "stick you in the coxcyx with a dirty needle for anything that ails you" joke of a medical system. got a cold? get an IV. got a tummy ache? get an IV. never seen so many needles in my life. never saw a steriliser, or a throw away box.

further action pending.

[endoftheroad 1]

personal attack removed.

further action pending.

Action against personal attacks or against consistently bashing China on the CHINA REGIONAL DISCUSSION FORUM?

Or both?

Good to see some mods stepping up.

[justashooter 430]

telling the truth about life in china is not "china bashing". it is a service to people in this regional forum who are marrying chinese. they need to know the truth about the culture, and the risks in being associated with it.

telling people in this forum that there is no aids in china is putting their health at risk. the chinese gov't reports indicating low rate of aids and HIV are patently false. the widespread prostitution and re-use of unsterilised needles in everyday health care puts anyone marrying a chinese at risk.

the endemic malaria (plasmodium vivax) makes transmission through heterosexual intercourse much more likely than it is in western countries. malaria has been a severe problem in central western provinces such as henan, hebei, anhui, and in southern provinces, especially yunan. outbreaks in the 90's were never treated correctly, so many people walking around in china today are carriers.

you always lose when it comes down to the truth, my friend. charles is just telling me to stop mocking your various avatars.

Edited December 24, 2009 by justashooter

[Ban Hammer 13,474]

charles is just telling me to stop mocking your various avatars.

i'm saying cease with the personal attacks and insults.

[Nagishkaw 510]

I seriously wish with all my heart ( not to mention the many prayers) that China adopt some kind of animal anti-cruelty laws. What is happening over there with the inhumane treatment of animals is beyond the imagination.

I just wanted to say this and yes I know it has nothing to do with the topic.

[endoftheroad 1]

I seriously wish with all my heart ( not to mention the many prayers) that China adopt some kind of animal anti-cruelty laws. What is happening over there with the inhumane treatment of animals is beyond the imagination.

I just wanted to say this and yes I know it has nothing to do with the topic.

Ever heard of Michael Vick? Read this conservative wacko response: http://www.lewrockwell.com/steinberg/steinberg13.1.html

[Nagishkaw 510]

Sigh.