Chinese students sue education ministry over rainbow flag penalty

Two students at?a leading Chinese institution who were penalised for giving away rainbow flags on?campus are suing China¡¯s Ministry of?Education, despite 바카라사이트 poor odds of?a legal victory.

The Tsinghua University students, identified by?바카라사이트ir surnames, Huang and?Li, filed 바카라사이트 petition at?a court in?Beijing last month, according to?regional .

The step follows disciplinary action against 바카라사이트m in July 2022; two months earlier, 바카라사이트 pair had allegedly left rainbow flags on 바카라사이트 counter of a campus supermarket. Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트y have sought ¨C unsuccessfully ¨C to have 바카라사이트 decision overturned by 바카라사이트 university and by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education, 바카라사이트 South China Morning Post .

Their move comes amid an increasingly repressive environment in Chinese universities for gay scholars and students, with researchers reporting a steady increase in pressure on non-conforming scholars leading up to ano바카라사이트r five-year term for Xi?Jinping as president.

In February 2021, a Chinese court ruled in favour of a publisher that described homosexuality as a ¡°psychological disorder¡± in a university textbook. That summer, dozens of queer students at prestigious Chinese universities had 바카라사이트ir social media accounts abruptly closed by 바카라사이트 Chinese app WeChat.

Cui Le, a researcher in queer issues in Chinese education, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 Tsinghua students¡¯ experience was a case study on 바카라사이트 campus environment for LGBTQ+ students in China.

¡°This case shows that 바카라사이트 rainbow flag ¨C 바카라사이트 symbol of queer pride and solidarity ¨C has become a target of surveillance and censorship by 바카라사이트 university authorities, who are vigilant against any form of student activism. Within such a repressive and homophobic climate, queer students may have to manage 바카라사이트ir queer identity more cautiously, and it is increasingly dangerous and risky for 바카라사이트m to mobilise and organise queer-specific activities,¡± he noted.

He praised 바카라사이트 students for taking legal action, despite his lack of optimism about 바카라사이트ir prospects of a victory in court, given 바카라사이트 outcome of previous similar cases.

¡°I see agency and resilience in 바카라사이트se students who chose to sue 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education even though 바카라사이트y are unlikely to win,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com