What city has the most gay bars

2023’s Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities

While I have a general understanding of the places I have been in for extended periods of time- beijing, shanghai, and xi'an - I'd like to hear your guys opinions one which cities in china are the most gay most. That term in itself has various meanings. If you the familiar with gay life specifically, which cities do you feel are the most socially open and non-judgmental?

This includes cities outside of the mainland. I have observed that people here at least in BJ either accept it or act indifferent to it. Some people even find it "cute". Maybe part of the reason is because it is less visible here, so others do not yet feel threatened by it. What I do find interesting is that it seems to be condemned by the authorities.

Whereas in New Zealand, there was once a T. I believe there were complaints about that one, ranging from "Gross! Us kids totally gay talk like that! Servant of the Devil! I've no idea what it's actually going to be like here in China, as I'm not gay, and no-one else I know here is, so I'm not really able to comment on the specifics.

What I can say, however, is that no one here rants and raves about the dangers of gay-ness, despite a distinct lack of it. Not that that's a lot of help. It seems to me that "the authorities" will sometimes crack down on gay bars in most cities every now and then, but they generally don't run has active campaign against gays.

Perhaps one reason for that is even the most "out" of Chinese gays still keep one foot in the closet. I think that that's sort of how government wants it. As for average people, I think most don't give much a toss about gays. While some people may be a part of some sort of religion that frowns on homosexuality, I don't think there is the same sort of influence from what fundamentalism on people's attitudes toward homosexuals as in North America.

The one situation where you could bet on Chinese people reacting quite negatively toward an out homosexual is if it were their own son, and that would be for what they see as practical reasons rather than for dogmatic ones. I've known a few "semi-out" cities in Taiwan, HK and the mainland, and quite a few people who I just sort of assumed were in the closet.

Not once have I known or even heard of a Chinese homosexual coming out to their parents. In London, everyone I know is accepting of my sexuality; close family especially. Don't think I'd be so open in public if I lived in a small provincial town. China seems very different.

People on the bar couldn't give a damn and don't stare, point or comment at all as far as I'm aware. The confucius thing of "you're not my family, so I don't care" thing, which also helps explain, slightly, why Chinese will push in and not often help out strangers.