Oh, YES

Gays and lesbians have a rough time in China. No doubt a proper sinologist would try and offer any number of cultural explanations for this, but the reality is probably not too different from why gays and lesbians still have a rough time in the US or Canada. Admittedly, the US National Guard isn't called in to break up peaceful festivals for gay culture:

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police shut down the opening of a gay and lesbian culture festival on Friday, an action participants said highlighted deep-rooted intolerance toward homosexuality.

The festival was to be a weekend of films, plays, exhibitions and seminars on the issue of homosexuality, but police raided the opening reception on Friday night and participants said they were still negotiating on whether any of the events could go ahead.

"They didn't have permission to hold this event," said a police official surnamed He.

But participants said the real issue was the subject matter.

"The attitude in China is still very conservative. They say it's illegal, but what's illegal about wanting to understand more about these issues?" asked a film student surnamed Cui....

Homosexuality was listed as a mental disorder in China until 2001 and even state media have reported the heavy pressure gays are under to stay in the closet because of traditional beliefs that homosexuality is immoral.

Anyway, via Angelica at Battlepanda, I love this picture:



Soldier 1: Ugh. Frigging Dykes.

Soldier 2: Shut up man, that's hot!

Mao: I'm dead. Really, really dead.