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HONG KONG – A court in eastern China’s Jiangsu Province recently ruled in favor of an editor who described homosexuality as a “psychological disorder” in a university textbook.
According to a copy of the February 9 appeal ruling seen by Reuters, the Suyu Intermediate District Court in Suqian City said the description resulted from “differences of perception” and was not a factual error, upholding a ruling issued in September of last year.
“I feel lost because they didn’t even have a trial, they just handed down a sentence,” said the plaintiff, who goes by the pseudonym XiXi.
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 college students.
“The teaching material classifies homosexuality as a psychological disorder, which it is not,” said the 24-year-old NGO worker, adding that she only learned of the ruling on her appeal through her lawyer on February 22.
“I am really disappointed, because we are seeing comments that support this judgment.”
Homosexuality was categorized as a mental disorder by the Chinese Psychiatric Association in 2001.
“It is quite harmful to the entire LGBT community, so we are deeply disappointed,” said Peng Yanzi, director of LGBT Rights Advocacy China.
“I am not the only one who is disappointed, shocked and angry, the entire LGBT community is, but we also greatly admire XiXi because he has spent years pursuing this legally.”
Jinan University Press and JD.com did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. -Reuters
