this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
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"I've been warned not to talk about it," the woman wrote, before revealing snippets of the day she says she was arrested for publishing gay erotica.

"I'll never forget it - being escorted to the car in full view, enduring the humiliation of stripping naked for examination in front of strangers, putting on a vest for photos, sitting in the chair, shaking with fear, my heart pounding."

The handle, Pingping Anan Yongfu, is among at least 8 in recent months which have shared accounts on Chinese social media platform Weibo of being arrested for publishing gay erotic fiction. As authors recounted their experiences, dozens of lawyers offered pro bono help.

At least 30 writers, nearly all of them women in their 20s, have been arrested across the country since February, a lawyer defending one told the BBC. Many are out on bail or awaiting trial, but some are still in custody. Another lawyer told the BBC that many more contributors were summoned for questioning.

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[–] boblemmy@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

The background of the matter transcends conflicts over gender concepts. In recent years, many local governments have been unable to cover their expenses, resulting in a phenomenon known as "distant sea fishing" (远洋捕捞), which refers to "profit-driven law enforcement," aimed at plundering money from other places. These female writers are just a tiny fraction of the victims. There are also well-known entrepreneurs who have lost their lives due to such extortion.

[–] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

There are also well-known entrepreneurs who have lost their lives due to such extortion.

I'd be interested to read more, but I'm not sure I've heard about "distant sea fishing" before. Can you pass the articles/links to the stories you're referencing?

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[–] QuoVadisHomines@sh.itjust.works 86 points 1 day ago (40 children)

But .ml communities promise meChina has mote free speech than the West! How is this possible?

/s

[–] PolydoreSmith@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (10 children)

You don’t even have to be charged with anything before ICE grabs you off the street at throws you in a van in the US…

[–] Tryenjer@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah, unfortunately the US is becoming more and more like China in this regard.

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 5 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Can you connect these dots for me?

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[–] FuckFascism@lemmy.world 24 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yes it's fucking horrible, I have the misfortune of living in the US but the same goes for China, North Korea, Russia and I could go on.

Which is true for China as well

[–] napkin2020@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (11 children)

And I assume you wish the US to keep doing that because China is doing that and it's clearly working?

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[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 74 points 1 day ago (1 children)

These authors are being accused of breaking China's pornography law for "producing and distributing obscene material". Writers who earn a profit could be jailed for more than 10 years.

The law targets "explicit descriptions of gay sex or other sexual perversions".

Jesus I thought there might have been some bullshit pretense, but apparently it's just straight-up illegal there.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 1 day ago

China is not the West, haha. There's a reason we're suspicious of them.

[–] oh_@lemmy.world 130 points 1 day ago (4 children)

This will eventually be the U.S. if we don’t stop the erosion. Right now they are going after trans, brown people. They will turn attention after to others.

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[–] kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 149 points 1 day ago (9 children)

Ah yes, this is the democracy some people talk about

[–] blackbelt352@lemmy.world 66 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Authoritarians gonna authoritarian regardless of economic model.

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[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 75 points 1 day ago (4 children)

"The Chinese government wants to promote traditional family values and liking danmei novels is seen as a factor in making women less willing to have children," Dr Ge explains.

[–] Supervisor194@lemmy.world 48 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Man, it's wild to see them go from one-child to this in a single generation.

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 44 points 1 day ago

Overcorrection in policy is not uncommon in authoritarian regimes. I'd imagine because policy carries the threat of imprisonment, not just guidance.

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago

The machine needs meat

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I generally want to have sex with my husband after reading erotica. You know, because it’s arousing. How did this not occur to them?

How many straight men do you know who have a sound grasp on women’s sexuality?

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