RantCrush Top 5: April 21, 2017

Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central China is known for being relatively accepting of LGBT students, but the other day the women’s basketball team held up an anti-gay banner. The team’s coach posted a photo of the banner online, which said: “Protect traditional Chinese morals. Defend core socialist values. Resist corrosion from decadent Western thoughts. Keep homosexuality far from campus.”

In response to anti-gay banner, Chinese queer women all over the world post selfies on basketball courts #NoQueerNoGame h/t @FeminitsFree pic.twitter.com/7YmHYCvdja

— Women in China (@halfthesky49) April 18, 2017

Being gay was a crime in China until 1997. Gay marriage is still not allowed and gay people face widespread discrimination. Many students at the university were shocked and outraged. The coach allegedly has a history of posting homophobic comments on his social media account and his team used to harass lesbian teammates. Some experts were concerned that the banner expressed that homosexuality is an import from the West, and others took issue with the notion that socialism isn’t compatible with being gay. But a group of mothers of gay students countered the banner with one of their own, which said, “Don’t let homophobes hurt our children!”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.