Where is a safe online home? Challenges Faced by Chinese Queer Communities in Speaking Out on Douyin

Abstract

The study conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 China-based Douyin queer users, during which the users shared their observations, feelings, and thoughts both during their content creation or viewing, and after its moderation. The participants believed that the moderation of queer content is not solely the result of Douyin's individual behavior but is instead a reflection of state-led homophobia. Queer creators face challenges in finding a safe and stable environment for content creation, given that most online platforms impose restrictions on queer content to varying degrees. Our study suggests that the online living situation for queer people in China may not improve until the government becomes more inclusive and the heteronormative condition in the whole society is alleviated.