Literary works dealing with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues were not commonly discussed in the past because they were considered taboo. This began to change with the publication of writer Kenneth Pai’s (白先勇) Crystal Boys (孽子, literally: "sons of sin").
The popular novel about Taipei’s gay community was serialized in the late 1970s and published in the early 1980s, and it was adapted into a movie, a TV drama and a stage play.
Since then, writers have started to devote more ink to gay themes. But reaching the broader public has been a struggle.
Photo courtesy of GBooks Taiwan
SOCIAL PRESSURE
Rex Shau (邵祺邁) is familiar with this kind of discrimination. The journalist-turned-author runs GBooks Taiwan (基本書坊), the nation’s only gay publishing house.
“LGBT publications can hardly compete with regular publications... because readers may feel a little shy or embarrassed to purchase ‘gay books’ in public due to social pressure,” Shau told the Taipei Times this week.
Photo courtesy of GBooks Taiwan
When GBooks published two books in 2009, Eslite Bookstore’s (誠品書店) Xinyi branch demanded that it place R-rated stickers on the book covers, even though they did not contain any erotic materials.
The Xinyi branch later announced that henceforth it would rate all GBooks’ publications “restricted,” regardless of the content. Other gay-themed books released by “non-gay” publishing companies, such as Business Weekly Publications (商周出版), did not have to be labeled that way.
“We have sufficient reason to believe that Eslite’s Xinyi branch was specifically targeting GBooks, which specializes in gay publications,” Shau wrote in an open letter. “As Taiwan’s only gay publishing house, we insist on the equal treatment for LGBT people.”
Photo courtesy of GBooks Taiwan
The Xinyi branch eventually canceled its policy after readers and LGBT rights activists repeatedly protested via phone or e-mail.
‘OBSCENE’ CONTENT
Of course, this isn’t the first time those selling or publishing gay-themed books or magazines have been targeted.
Gin Gin’s (晶晶書庫), Taiwan’s first bookstore specializing in LGBT publications, opened in 1999 and has since played an important role in the promotion of LGBT books, magazines and other materials.
In 2003, J.J. Lai (賴正哲), the bookstore’s then-owner, was almost jailed when the Keelung Customs Office confiscated 400 copies of gay magazines imported from Hong Kong. Police later raided the bookstore and seized over 500 magazines, some featuring male nudity, and declared them “obscene.”
Article 235 of the Criminal Code (刑法) bans the distribution, broadcasting and sale of “obscene” materials. Since the term “obscene” is not clearly defined in the article, which dates to 1922, judges can let their prejudice influence their decision when interpreting what constitutes obscenity.
In 2005, Lai was convicted by the Keelung District Court for offending public morality in spite of the fact that the magazines were wrapped properly with warnings labels on them — no different than any other bookstore that sells such magazines. Lai was forced to pay a fine of NT$45,000 (US$1,432) to avoid imprisonment after two failed appeals.
Since then, gay rights activists have called for the abolition of Article 235, saying that it violates the rights of the LGBT community.
THE ROAD AHEAD
“Gay-themed books are often displayed at less notable corners in local bookstores, as many operators still view LGBT topics as controversial,” Shau said.
In the face of the downturn in Taiwan’s book market, Shau has established GB Studio (基本制作) recently to embrace the rising LGBT video market. By doing so, he believes that the company’s works can connect with the target consumers instantly while boosting their influence on the Internet.
The case of GBooks and that of Gin Gin’s show that discrimination against LGBT literature and publishing does exist, as people like that Keelung judge or Eslite manager still view gay publications as “obscene.”
Despite such obstacles, however, it is undeniable that Taiwan’s LGBT publications have grown in terms of quality and quantity since the late 1970s, and a number of writers, LGBT-friendly bookstores and publishers have all contributed to the growth. As Shau stresses, all he wants is “zero discrimination” against any LGBT materials, and that's exactly what this column has been fighting for.
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