Homosexuality can be declared a psychological disorder, Chinese court rules
- Chinese court rules in favor of calling homosexuality a ‘psychological disorder’
- A court in Jiangsu province ruled in favor of a publisher which made the claim
- Homosexuality was decategorised as a mental disorder by the Chinese Psychiatric Association in 2001
A court in China’s eastern Jiangsu province has ruled in favor of a publisher that described homosexuality as a ‘psychological disorder’ in a university textbook.
According to a copy of the February 9 appeal ruling, Suyu District Intermediate Court in the city of Suqian said the description resulted from ‘perceptual differences’ and was not a factual error, upholding a judgment made in September last year.
‘I feel at a loss, because they didn’t even have a trial, they just handed down the judgment,’ said the plaintiff, who uses the pseudonym XiXi.
Xixi, a 23-year-old Chinese LGBT activist who uses a pseudonym, holding a list of evidence for her case in Hong Kong
In 2017, XiXi had sued Jinan University Press and a company owned by retailer JD.com for publishing and distributing factually incorrect content in the 2013 book on mental health education for university students.
‘The teaching material classifies homosexuality as a psychological disorder, which it isn’t,’ the 24-year-old NGO worker said, adding that she only found out about the ruling on her appeal through her lawyer on February 22.
‘I’m really disappointed, because we are seeing comments that are supporting this judgment.’
In 2017, XiXi had sued Jinan University Press and a company owned by retailer JD.com for publishing and distributing factually incorrect content in the 2013 book on mental health education for university students
Homosexuality was decategorised as a mental disorder by the Chinese Psychiatric Association in 2001.
‘It’s quite damaging to the whole LGBT community, so we are sorely disappointed,’ said Peng Yanzi, the director of LGBT Rights Advocacy China.
‘I’m not the only one who is disappointed, shocked and angry – the whole LGBT community is – but we also very much admire XiXi because she’s spent years legally pursuing this.’
Jinan University Press and JD.com did not immediately reply to emailed requests for comment.