Lesbian woman sues Chinese education ministry over claim homosexuality is a 'mental disorder'

A Chinese woman has sued the Chinese Ministry of Education for using textbooks which state homosexuality is a ‘psychological disorder.’

Qiu Bai, who is lesbian, had her claim accepted by the First Intermediate People’s Court of Beijing, beginning a process that she tried to start in 2015.

In 2014, while researching homosexuality at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou where she was studying, she came across textbooks which referred to it being a mental disorder. This was despite homosexuality being struck off the official list of mental disorders in China is 2001.

“Textbooks should at least describe homosexuality with objectivity.” Qiu Bai said. “I don’t want discrimination permeating the school I live in and the materials I use every day.”

Her attempt to sue in 2015 fell on deaf ears; she was advised to go through a complaints process which was ignored. A further attempt to sue the education department was thrown out on the grounds that the ministry ignoring her claim was not an infringement of her rights. A final attempt made it through the People’s Court.

Qiu is hoping the case will highlight discrimination of LGBT people in China, which persists despite the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1997.

It isn’t the first time LGBT rights have been infringed in the country. In 2014, a man successfully sued a mental health clinic which administered electric shocks in a bid to “cure” his homosexuality. Gay conversion therapy is now widely considered to be bogus science.

Lesbian woman sues Chinese education ministry over claim homosexuality is a ‘mental disorder’

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