"Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in Western China and the country's fourth largest city, has for years been referred to as "Gaydu" by Chinese millennials wise to the cosmopolitan city's reputation as China's "gay capital". Recent detentions are evidence that the government's tolerance for Chengdu's notoriety as a gay hub is fraying. Two Chinese men who allegedly produced and shared an AI-manipulated photo of two "gay pandas" from Chengdu - known as China's "panda capital", as well - have been detained"
"The detainees, 29 and 33 years old, are accused of posting the satirical photo as a news report on social media, using an official government report as the source. It showed one male panda mounting another, with a caption that read, "Chengdu: Two male Sichuan giant pandas successfully mate for the first time without intervention." Local police said in a statement that the two suspects were detained and their social media accounts suspended."
Chengdu has long been nicknamed 'Gaydu' for its reputation as a gay-friendly, cosmopolitan city. Recent detentions reflect increasing official intolerance for content that links homosexuality to city reputations. Two men were detained for producing and sharing an AI-altered photo of two male pandas presented as a news report, and their social media accounts were suspended. Local police labeled the post as fake news that triggered misinterpretations, disrupted cyberspace order, and caused adverse social impact. Other recent detentions targeted individuals accused of stigmatizing Chengdu men or insinuating a lack of masculinity, indicating a broader enforcement trend.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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