An online clampdown of social media accounts associated with China’s campus LGBTQ movement has sparked outrage, solidarity and backlash against the authorities’ treatment of the country’s sexual and gender minorities.
Dozens of WeChat accounts run by LGBTQ university students were blocked and then deleted on Tuesday, without warning. Some of the accounts – a mix of registered student clubs and unofficial grassroots groups – had operated for years as safe spaces for China’s LGBTQ youth, with tens of thousands of followers.
Attempts to access the WeChat accounts were met with an error message which said the content had been blocked and account deactivated “after receiving relevant complaints”. Other messages said the accounts “had violated regulations on the management of accounts offering public information service on the Chinese internet”, Reuters reported. » | Vincent Ni, China affairs correspondent, and Helen Davidson in Taipei | Thursday, July 8, 2021
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