China is going
through a sexual revolution, accord-ing to a story in the China News Weekly.
The article quoted Chinese sociologist Li Yinhe, who said although Chinese
haven't advanced "sexual freedom" as a slogan for sexual emancipation,
they have widely acted upon it in practice. She said in respect to sexual
practices, Chinese would "catch up" with Western countries in
no more than 20 years.
An online survey conducted by Sina.com showed 17 per cent of Chinese youth
between the ages of 24-33 have had more than 10 sexual partners, and nearly
12 per cent have participated in group sex.
Another sociologist, Liu Dalin, remains skeptical about such drastic changes.
He believes very "open" attitudes towards sex are not mainstream,
and won't be so in 10 or 20 years.
"The present situation is a co-existence of traditional and avant-garde
ideology," Liu said. "Chinese culture has always taken the middle
road. Step-by-step evolution is an unbreakable trend, but it won't go
to extremes."
China entered 30 years of sexual repression after 1949, with sex strictly
limited within marriage, aimed at reproduction. Changes started with the
development of the market economy. Today, sex not only breaks the limit
of marriage, but also of love.
Unchained desire
Casual sex, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, sex industry ... all these
have entered into the urban life of China. The Internet has played an
important role in opening up sexual ideology, bringing up innumerable
topics that remain too sensitive for other media.
The easy mode of communication also helps in arranging dates. People can
give their phone numbers in online chatrooms after exchanging a few words
and then arrange to meet offline.
"The anonymity of the web helps people to drop any misgiving. It
encourages them to express their real ideas," said Liu.
"Someone asked me about contraceptive methods through QQ (an online
chatting device like ICQ)," said a local netizen. "I was glad
to help. Think about it. You can solve your very private problems by just
clicking on a stranger's name and popping your question. It is unimaginable
without the Internet."
Many problems about sex are discussed for the first time "not because
they didn't exist before, they were long hidden, un-talked about,"
said Wang Yuru, a psychology consultant who hosts love and emotion Q&A
columns in several women's magazines.
Wang takes a radical attitude in her column, encouraging her readers to
seek sexual pleasure on the premise of "not harming others and benefiting
yourself". "The body devoted to love can be understood at any
time. The body is innocent. Chastity is psychological instead of physical.
It doesn't matter how you set out to get it, as long as it is safe and
not harmful," she said.
Conservative attitude
The Chinese Government remains conservative, "trying avoid the issues",
according to Liu. "The society in general tends to be conservative.
Officials underestimate the people, and parents underestimate their children,
which is completely wrong."
It was only recently homosexuality ceased to be treated as a mental disease,
and it still remains a taboo topic in some circles. Several movies on
this issue by directors on the mainland as well as in Hong Kong gained
wide acclaim from audiences, who had to access them through pirate DVDs
as they were never shown in public theatres.
Adultery was included in the Chinese Criminal Law until 1979. In the third
amendment to the Marriage Law, extra-marital affairs were a major focus
of conflicting ideas. Social workers and sociologists argued about whether
the law should make divorce easier or more difficult - to put emphasis
on maintaining the family or respecting personal choices.
"People are aware of their rights now. That's good, but don't go
too far," Liu said.
Chinese law bans prostitution, but nobody can deny the existence of the
sex industry in China. Some 30 per cent of those surveyed admitted to
having received commercial sex services. Their underground situation makes
it impossible for the government to administer or control the spread of
sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
"It is impossible to eradicate prostitution. At the beginning of
the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, strict bans against prostitution were
promulgated, but none of them succeeded," Liu said. "Theoretically
speaking, red light zones should be established, but China needs a long
adjustment process. We still have to face the reality of the situation."
Medical issues
Li Yinhe said the government had not yet comprehended the arrival of the
sexual revolution. Official sexual education has been focused on medical
issues, which only comprise one aspect of the subject.
Liu agreed that Chinese sexual education is not sufficient to prepare
youngsters. The administrators still have reservations about promoting
the use of condoms among school students, for fear that it will encourage
them to have sex.
"People are opening their minds, but know little from a scientific
angle," Wang said. "They don't realize the difference between
sexual emancipation and promiscuity. Sexual morality does not have to
be given up."
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