Beijing LGBT Center Closes After 15 Years Citing 'Uncontrollable Forces'

The Beijing LGBT Center announced its closure on Monday, citing 'uncontrollable forces' as the reason for ceasing operations. Founded in 2008, the organization had just marked its fifteenth anniversary last week. It provided medical and mental health support, hosted film screenings and public speakers, and advocated against discrimination while relying primarily on individual donors and volunteers. Since 2016, Chinese authorities have increased restrictions on sexual diversity expressions, implementing policies that prohibit homosexual depictions on television alongside other content deemed vulgar or unhealthy. Other LGBTQ+ organizations including LGBT Rights Advocacy China and Shanghai Pride have also stopped operating within the past two years.