The unpredictability of public opinion lies in the inability to control people's hearts. Following Zhong Shao's statement that "Our country's sperm bank is not open to single women," a large number of negative comments flooded the comment section with partial and distorted views.
Zhong Shao did not respond to the comments nor did he engage further on Weibo.
It wasn't until the third evening that there were no signs of suppression or cancellation of LGBTQ+-related topics and trending hashtags on Weibo.
"A positive sign," Dong Yi said to himself, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose with a smile on his lips.
Most people cannot grasp the significance of this, but those who remembered the "cleanup event" from a few years ago quickly realised that this resurgence of LGBTQ+ topics in the trending lists marked a shift back to societal issues, overshadowing popular entertainment events. Importantly, it brought attention to marginalised groups associated with these topics.
The upheaval that year remained fresh in the memory of those who experienced it. It all began with a community announcement by social media administrators stating that, under the guise of the "Cybersecurity Law," a three-month "cleanup operation" targeting inappropriate cartoons, games, and short videos would be conducted to foster a clear and harmonious online community. This directive infringed upon the daily lives and interests of many netizens, leading to anger and protests. The #IAmGay movement, primarily led by the LGBTQ+ community, gained momentum quickly, amassing billions of views and millions of discussions, only to be abruptly removed from the platform.
A few days later, the social media administrators revised their stance, stating that the cleanup operation would no longer target LGBTQ+ content, but focus on eliminating explicit, violent, and gory themes. This response was seen as a reaction and concession to the supportive actions. State media then criticised the announcement, officially commenting that "homosexuality is not a disease."
While it appeared that the minority groups had achieved a victory through this cleanup and support, they were well aware that the battle was far from over. The #IAmGay hashtag was not reinstated, LGBTQ+ equality accounts were either permanently shut down or faced varying degrees of restrictions. Consequently, discussions related to sexual minority groups gradually vanished from this social media platform's closed ecosystem.
The long-standing discrimination persists, despite China has long-historical homosexuality. In 1997, the new criminal law decriminalized same-sex acts from being classified as "hooliganism," yet it wasn't until 2001 that homosexuality was removed from the list of mental disorders. Even in today's era of comprehensive prosperity, legal provisions for the LGBT+ community lack explicit discriminatory language but also lack specific protective clauses.
As the country with the largest population of the global LGBTQ+ community, less than 20% of individuals dare to openly disclose their true sexual orientation to their families. However, the ambiguous nature of "indirect" implications is sufficient to categorise homosexuality as "abnormal relationships," prohibiting such content from appearing in film and television works. When topics related to sexual minority groups surge in popularity and remain on the trending lists for three days without any relevant actions taken, it directly reflects that - only when all aspects of an event are discussed with equal intensity will it be debated, rather than condemned. Just as a mantis challenges a tree and sand grains form a tower, despite the long and arduous road, it will inevitably exist.
Behind the Xiaohui divorce case, the legal team at Hengsheng Law Firm was exposed, and they responded to the "20 most concerning questions" raised by netizens. Hengsheng Law Firm was well-prepared, as their official account posted a series of 20 lengthy Weibo posts, each systematically presenting arguments from legal, ethical, social, and cultural perspectives with coherent and tightly-knit thoughts. While addressing the 20 questions, Hengsheng also posed a question to the public
—— Amidst this chain of events, who is truly the victim?
The question at hand stems from a prestigious inquiry.
Each person in the case is filled with the unspoken challenges of the era. For any full-time married woman, the family is not a sacrifice but a fulfilment, providing them with the courage to move forward fearlessly. For homosexual men suppressed by the responsibility of "continuing the bloodline," the family is not a burden of concealed cognition but a source of courage, giving them the confidence to be themselves. For parents who have weathered the changing times and upheld ancestral beliefs, the family is not merely the lifeline of procreation but a fusion, defining the source of happiness for the new generation.
Each of them is unique yet alike.
Beneath the fabric of societal culture and above the realm of law and morality, they are neither purely victims nor entirely perpetrators, but individuals passing through the torrents of historical development, embodying both the insignificance and enormity of progress.
As October faded away, an unexpected cold front swept south, heralding the arrival of winter. Yu Cheng experienced a sudden bout of illness - though not a severe fever, the incessant coughing and runny nose left him feeling exhausted. The culprit felt a mix of guilt and remorse, pledging to refrain from swaying on the balcony in the future.
Without much work scheduled during Zhong Shao's absence, Yu Cheng kept himself occupied by meeting with some directors, finalising details for a new film and his next project, and making preparations for his studio.
The establishment of a personal studio by an artist is not uncommon in the industry, with the key factor lying in its structure. Presently, artist-owned studios fall into three main categories: those affiliated with a company, independent studios centred around the artist, and independent studios centred around the agent. While most artists opt for the first category, Yu Cheng intends to set up an independent studio centred around himself, a decision influenced by his own considerations and the advice of Zhong Shao, who has been running an independent studio for many years.
On the eighth day after Zhong Shao left, the two connected via video call. Yu Cheng ran his fingers through his hair as he answered the call, with the person on the other end seen preparing coffee.
After observing Yu Cheng's expression on the screen, Zhong Shao advised, "Start by blow-drying your hair."
Yu Cheng took out a hairdryer and placed his phone on a mirror stand.
As the slender fingers combed through his dark hair with the hot air, strands of hair fell in layers. After the noise stopped, Yu Cheng's forehead was partly covered by stray locks, prompting him to shake his head before picking up the phone and walking towards the bed. "What are you thinking about?" Yu Cheng asked.
Zhong Shao set down his nearly empty coffee cup and replied, "I'm looking at you."
Feeling a bit childish, he chuckled lightly and asked, "How are you feeling today?"
He was inquiring about Yu Cheng's cold.
"Not coughing much, and the runny nose has eased too. Just need to take medicine for a couple more days."
After answering, Yu Cheng inquired, "And you? Are you tired?"
Zhong Shao's trip to New York this time was mainly for two reasons: to accept a guest role invitation in a European-American seasonal drama and to be interviewed by a social and business scientific magazine in New York regarding "WAT and China's first cured AIDS case.
These two seemingly not very difficult tasks did require considerable effort.
"Dealing with the time difference is quite tiring." Yu Cheng turned on the heater, slipped into bed, and with his smooth hair against the silk pillowcase, he felt completely relaxed.
"That means everything is going smoothly."
There was still time to consider if the jet lag was affecting them.
"Yes," Zhong Shao raised an eyebrow, his good mood evident.
Zhong Shao enjoyed seeing Yu Cheng's natural look without makeup, or rather, he loved the lazy demeanour of Yu Cheng at home.
That was the side of Yu Cheng that only he could see.
The midnight bell chimed in the GMT+8 timezone, while in GMT-5 the afternoon work hours began, with no one hitting the pause button until their phones automatically shut down.
This marked another day for Zhong Shao since arriving in New York.
In mid-month, the divorce case of Xiaohui was officially brought to court. The divorce proceedings did not involve public observation. With strong evidence from Xiaohui's side and the refusal to reconcile, the court ruled for a divorce on the spot. The couple would need to divide their marital property accumulated during their marriage, with the defendant required to provide medical and mental compensation to the plaintiff.
After the trial, Hengsheng Law Firm, with Xiaohui's consent, issued an official statement regarding the trial proceedings and outcome, along with a handwritten note from Xiaohui.
"We are no different, we all have the potential to become victims; the best way to avoid harming others is to be honest with ourselves."
Soon after, the sperm bank official reposted the statement and commented: "Today, we have shifted our focus from promoting sperm donation to encouraging men to store their own sperm. We continue to explore, not to make women tools for reproduction, but to explore the meaning of reproduction for each individual and life itself.
Upon seeing the outcome of Xiaohui's divorce case, Yu Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, knowing very well that this was just the beginning, and they still had a long journey ahead of them.