China arrests 30 female writers over gay erotic fiction

Telegraph

30-06-2025

China has arrested at least 30 writers – almost all of whom are women in their 20s – since February, as it clamps down on the publication of gay erotic fiction.
Under China's strict pornography laws, writers who are found guilty of 'producing and distributing obscene materials' and have earned money for their work, could face more than 10 years in prison.
One of the women targeted, who goes by the name Pingping Anan Yongfu, recounted the experience of her arrest on social media, despite being ' warned not to talk about it '.
'I'll never forget it – being escorted to the car in full view, enduring the humiliation of stripping naked for examination in front of strangers, putting on a vest for photos, sitting in the chair, shaking with fear, my heart pounding,' she wrote online.
After her post went viral, she deleted it and wrote another one acknowledging that she had broken the law before deleting her account entirely.
She is part of a group of women known for writing 'danmei', a type of erotic fiction that emerged in the 1990s and often involves a BDSM relationship between two male characters.
Inspired by Japanese boys' love for manga, and increasingly popular in China, the genre is normally hosted online and tends to be targeted at women.
The stories are known to be subversive and go against what is often seen as normal or right. For example, in 'danmei' stories, male characters are often portrayed as vulnerable and are able to become pregnant.
The genre has become increasingly popular over the years, with 60 'danmei' stories optioned for film and TV in 2021, with the most expensive sold for over £4 million.
The female 'danmei' writers who have been arrested so far this year had published their work on Haitang Literature City, a website known for hosting the genre.
Late last year, another 50 writers who had published their work on the site were also prosecuted.
China's pornography law specifically prohibits 'explicit descriptions of gay sex or other sexual perversions ' and gay erotica writers tend to be targeted more than those who write heterosexual erotica.
While homosexuality was decriminalised in China in 1997 and removed from a list of psychiatric disorders in 2001, gay marriage has yet to be legalised and same-sex couples cannot adopt children.
The government has also previously cracked down on LGBT rights groups and there have been reports of young transgender people being sent to 're-education' camps, as the government pushes forward traditional family values.
One 'danmei' writer who shared her experience on social media said that she was pulled out of her college class by police officers who then proceeded to search her dorm room.
Another said: 'I'm only 20. So young, and I've already ruined my life so early.'