Reasons for the non-approval of the same-sex marriage in China: cultural and economic views

Abstract

This article discusses the factors that affect the possibility of the approval of same-sex marriage in China, or why China chose not to approve it even if the majority of other equally economically developed countries had done. The article focuses specifically on cultural and economic views. Due to the intrinsic taboo in Chinese society, meaning that one rarely discusses politics and/or homosexuality, there is currently a lack of studies investigating homosexuality and policies related to this topic. Therefore, this article sets up another bridge between same-sex marriage, homosexuality, and governmental policy in China, allowing the reader to reach beyond some Western-focused discussions on this topic. The data used in this article originates from statistics from large organizations, and NGOs, as well as official statistics from the Chinese government. For example, it includes data that demonstrate the lowering growth rate of the population in China and other data showing that over 57% of interviewees reported that society should not accept homosexuals. As the article argues, the root reason for the non-approval of same-sex marriage has its origins in the lack of population growth - which then extends to an economic crisis - and Chinese culture. After all, one can still find prejudice against homosexuals in the Chinese population, which influences the approval of policies such as same-sex marriage. This article provides a detailed discussion as well as evidence on the two reasons.