LGBT rights in Tibet
Encyclopedia
LGBT rights in Tibet are stagnant but homosexuality is not criminalized. The lands compromising the Tibetan Plateau
are divided between the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China
and the Republic of India. In both of these countries, homosexual sex was legalized since 1997 and 2009 respectively.
, Tibet does not have a culture in which open expression of same-sex affection is common..
There are no known Tibetan support groups, and Han Chinese living in Tibet usually use the underground Chinese support groups, which have little to no influence on the Tibetans due to the ethnic tension and separation between the two groups.
There are reports of a gay bar present in the capital Lhasa called Lanse Tian Kong (or "Blue Sky"), however, the bar is operated in secret, and supposedly, although many of the customers are native Tibetans, it is run by mostly Han .
According to a number of interviews by a reporter from a Singapore based Asian gay website, Tibetan youth are mostly lax about homosexuality, but Tibetan culture does not allow for public displays of affection. However, as some argue, this is not specific as homophobia, rather, any public display of sexuality is generally frowned upon, partly due to Lamaistic Buddhism's glorification of celibacy.
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
are divided between the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and the Republic of India. In both of these countries, homosexual sex was legalized since 1997 and 2009 respectively.
LGBT life in Tibet
Unlike its neighbor and cultural sibling BhutanBhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, Tibet does not have a culture in which open expression of same-sex affection is common..
There are no known Tibetan support groups, and Han Chinese living in Tibet usually use the underground Chinese support groups, which have little to no influence on the Tibetans due to the ethnic tension and separation between the two groups.
There are reports of a gay bar present in the capital Lhasa called Lanse Tian Kong (or "Blue Sky"), however, the bar is operated in secret, and supposedly, although many of the customers are native Tibetans, it is run by mostly Han .
According to a number of interviews by a reporter from a Singapore based Asian gay website, Tibetan youth are mostly lax about homosexuality, but Tibetan culture does not allow for public displays of affection. However, as some argue, this is not specific as homophobia, rather, any public display of sexuality is generally frowned upon, partly due to Lamaistic Buddhism's glorification of celibacy.
See also
- LGBT topics and Buddhism
- LGBT rights in China
- Same-sex marriage in ChinaSame-sex marriage in ChinaChina recognizes neither same-sex marriage nor civil unions. A poll conducted in 2009 showed that over 30% of the Beijing population supports same-sex marriage, while the rest were unsure or opposed...