China Intensifies Crackdown on Gay Fiction, Stifling a Vital Outlet for Queer Expression

In the past year, Chinese authorities have intensified efforts to suppress gay fiction and erotica, focusing on the popular literary genre known as “danmei”—stories of romantic and sexual relationships between men, often written by women. Inspired by Japanese “Boys’ Love” fiction, danmei has found a vast and growing audience among young Chinese women and LGBTQ+ readers, providing a rare space for queer representation and exploration of diverse identities in a restrictive environment .

However, China’s legal framework broadly bans erotic content, and recent years have seen the government expand these prohibitions as part of a conservative push to promote “traditional family values.” The current crackdown, which began in earnest in June 2024, has resulted in dozens of arrests, with police targeting both amateur and more established writers of danmei fiction .

Reports indicate that police raids have taken place across several provinces, with officers interrogating writers about their work, their sexual orientation, and, in some cases, detaining them for further questioning. Many of those targeted are young women, some of whom have been prosecuted under obscenity laws for profiting from online sales of their work—even when earnings are minimal .

One widely reported case is that of an author known as Tianyi, sentenced in 2018 to over ten years in prison for publishing a homoerotic novel online. More recently, court documents show at least 12 cases heard in Anhui province in 2024 alone, although outcomes are not publicly available .

The crackdown has led to widespread fear and self-censorship among creators. Authors have deleted stories, withdrawn from online platforms, and halted publication altogether. Social media posts offering legal advice or discussing copyright protections have disappeared, and entire user accounts have been suspended or erased .

For many, danmei fiction has been more than just entertainment—it has provided a rare outlet for exploring queer identity and fostering community in a society where same-sex marriage is not legal and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people remains widespread. Homosexuality was only decriminalized in 1997 and removed from the official list of mental illnesses in 2001 .

Television and media adaptations have faced heavy censorship, with romantic relationships between men rewritten as platonic friendships due to a 2021 directive banning the appearance of “effeminate men” and urging a return to “revolutionary culture” . As a result, danmei literature has become a vital, if precarious, space for LGBTQ+ visibility and community.

Dr. Liang Ge of University College London’s Faculty of Education and Society notes that the government’s stance is also tied to concerns about declining birth rates and shifting gender norms, with authorities blaming danmei fiction for making women “less willing to have children” .

LGBTQ+ activists and advocacy groups have condemned the crackdown as part of a broader campaign to suppress queer expression and restrict online freedoms. Many see this as a continuation of President Xi Jinping’s ideological tightening, which has included calls to “purify” the internet and cultural industries .

Despite these pressures, some writers and readers remain determined to fight for their community. One writer, Miu Miu, expressed hope that they might still finish beloved stories, even as spaces for such expression shrink: “Sexual knowledge has become taboo. This is a social awakening” .

As China’s crackdown continues, international observers warn that the campaign threatens to erase crucial spaces for LGBTQ+ storytelling and community. With limited protections and growing state surveillance, the future for danmei writers and readers in China remains uncertain—but their stories and demands for recognition persist.