Rainbow Flags, Restrained Expression, and a University Lawsuit
- Elizabeth Huffaker
- 20 hours ago
- 1 min read
At Tsinghua University — one of China’s most prestigious institutions — two queer women, Huang and Li, encountered firsthand how limited LGBTQ+ expression can be on campus. Both had tried to share positive visibility for queer identities — for example, by distributing rainbow flags and expressing support for LGBTQ+ causes — but were reprimanded by university authorities, sometimes with disciplinary actions that would remain on their academic records.
The women challenged the punishment by filing a lawsuit against the Ministry of Education, hoping to overturn the official reprimand and push back against restrictions on queer expression. However, Beijing courts refused to accept their lawsuit, a setback that underscored broader limits on legal avenues for LGBTQ+ students in China.
Their experiences demonstrate how expression of lesbian and queer identity in educational spaces — even as simple as displaying supportive symbols — can be seen as contentious in a political environment that increasingly tightens ideological control over campuses and civil society.
Huang and Li’s situation is not just about flags — it’s about the right of LGBTQ+ students to participate fully in campus life without fear of disciplinary retaliation.
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