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A secret underground community is preparing to step up and out of the shadows to fight for the acceptance and equality...Beijing’s lesbias.
Dubbed the lala (lesbian) group, a small but growing number of gay females in the capital will go public tomorrow (Saturday) and hold their first “open” meetingThe city’s pioneerin lesbians are say they are prepared to push the boundaries of acceptance in China’s conservative moral arena.
Prior to tomorrow’s meeting, the locations of lala salons were kept a closely guarded secret.
The gathering will be in a “bright comfortable” bar, revealed organizersBut such is the trepidation among members, a secret website is being used to reveal the exact location.
The first lala salon was held last November and thanks to its growing popularity, leaders believe it is now time to stand up and be counted as worthy members of Beijing’s multinational, multicultural and diverse society.
And organizer An Ke says it is time Beijing learnt more about lesbians.
“Homosexuality is just the same as the heterosexuality,” says An , who helps run the salons which are spearheading the “struggle” for accepe.
“There are actually no other differences other than we lov people of the same gender,” adds An.
Lesbian love stories
Ding Ding is a 27-year-old Beijing girl with curly hair and sparkling eyes. She sits in a tiny bar narrating her story of secret forbidden love to Beijing Today in a soft , low voice.
“I really hated boys when I was a child, but I could not figure out why. It is just a natural sense,” she says. “There were many bothat wanted to date me. However, the more warmly they treated me, the more disgusted I felt. I never showed any feelings towards boys,” she recalls.
Ding lives a double life, keeping her sexuality a secret most of the time. She says she is currently in love with one of her close friends, who is straight.
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