Gay Men U.S. vs China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gay Men U.S. vs China - Research Paper Example In addition, the U S is putting policies in place with prospects of protecting the rights of the gay community. Unlike the US, China has had a dull history regarding its gay community. The subject of homosexuality had been treated as a taboo for a long time in most countries including China. However, the Chinese people are changing their attitude concerning homosexuality. This essay will compare the views of the Chinese and US society in regards to the gay community. In China, Hong Kong is always ahead of the mainland China in terms of information and interactions with the outside world. However, this does not prevent homosexuality from being branded as an illegal behavior in Hong Kong. Until 1991, homosexuality was illegal in Hong Kong. In mainland China, homosexuality was considered both a crime against humanity and a form of mental illness. This indicates that the Chinese gay society was still stigmatized by the community in 1990s. Unlike China, the US has a more liberalized socie ty where people have extreme expectations. the US society acknowledged the existence of Gay community long before the Chinese society acknowledge the gay people are part of every society. In 1997, the Chinese government shot down the hooligan law. This law had been the main source of discrimination against gay society from the Chinese society. Although Chinese people are slowly accepting the existence of gay community in their midst, they are still behind the US community (Lau web). This change can be noted by an increase in the number of self-proclaimed gay communities around the country. China has also recorded an increase in the number of gay people hangouts. There is however, a significant difference between the mainland China and Hong Kong in terms of accepting the existence of the gay community. The existence of special or secluded hangouts for gay people indicates that the Chinese society has not fully accepted the existence of the gay society. Unlike the Chinese society, the US society has high level of tolerance for the gay community. Gay people living in the US are free to mingle and interact with other people who have normal sexual affiliation. However, there are specific joints and hangout that are more popular with the gay society than with the ordinary people. This indicates that the US society has no negative feelings about the gay people. Although the US and China have the biggest economies in the world, the two countries have great variation in terms of access to information and multiculturalism. Most people in United States live in urban areas while China has most of its population living in rural areas. Rural and urban societies have contradicting views towards gay people living in their midst. While people in major cities such as Hong Kong and Beijing have almost accepted the existence and the rights of the gay society, people living in rural areas still live in denial concerning the existence of gay people. A person living in a Chinese vil lage still views homosexuality as mental illness or abnormal behavior. Unlike China, the US society has a homogenous attitude towards the gay community. This indicates that the society has no greatly varying views towards homosexuals and lesbians living in their midst. The main problem that gay people face in any liberalized society is the fact that they are a minority society. This