Queer Run Crew organized a 5km Pride Run in Shanghai on June 17, with approximately 30 LGBTQ+ members and their friends participating. It was one of the few Pride Month events to take place in China this year.
What Happened: Amid the vibrant celebrations of Pride Month around the world, LGBTQ+ events in China this year exuded a subdued atmosphere. ShanghaiPride, one of the country’s oldest Pride events, has been on hold since 2020 without any official explanation as to why.
The event faced restrictions in 2020 due to the government’s increasingly stringent controls on civil society and clampdown on public endorsements of LGBTQ+ rights. Strict regulations on political protests also compelled ShanghaiPride to arrange alternative activities like dance parties, community runs, and film screenings in place of parades.
However, even these activities faced limitations, with only a few low-key events taking place this year.
In Shanghai, Queer Run Crew organized a 5km Pride Run on June 17, with approximately 30 LGBTQ+ members and their friends participating. A smaller scale Rainbow Bike Ride, covering a distance of 15km, was held on July 2 to promote diversity and inclusion, and a drag show scheduled for June 23 at a nightclub in Shanghai was canceled due to complaints from members of the public.
The Jing Take: China’s LGBTQ+ community was estimated to have reached 74.7 million individuals by the end of 2019, boasting significant purchasing power of $636 billion, according to Daxue Consulting, a market research and strategy consulting firm focusing on the Chinese market.
This makes China the largest LGBTQ+ market globally. Consequently, many businesses, not least those in fashion, health and luxury, view this demographic as a potentially lucrative opportunity. Continue to read the full article here
