1 Mar 2017

China’s LGBT Groups Demand Apology from LeTV

Online video streaming service LeTV has angered LGBT for describing homosexuality as the ‘wrong concept of love.’

LGBT in China demanded a public apology from online video provider Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp, better known as LeTV, this week.

On Friday, LeTV said in a statement on their website that video content with the ”wrong concept of love, such as homosexuality and extramarital affairs,” would be banned from the site.

The move received widespread condemnation from LGBT activists and netizens, many of whom labelled the move as “stupid” and promised to boycott the service.

LeTV later deleted the word "homosexuality" and only said "wrong concept of love" is forbidden in LeTV videos.

China has a history of censoring movies online and in cinemas, including those with LGBT themes.

In 2016, China Television Drama Production Industry Association and the China Television Production Committee of the China Alliance of Radio, Film and Television jointly recommended in 2015 that certain types of content should not be shown on TV series, such as same-sex romance, extramarital affairs and one-night stands.