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Members of Rainbow Group Joao Cancelo Portugal Camisola , an LGBT organization set up without official approval at Sun Yat-Sen University in 2012, unfold a rainbow flag in front of the Guangdong Science Center on May 17. Photo: Courtesy of Ah Shan
Homosexuality is a sensitive word at Chinese universities. Even though these institutions are the frontline of gay liberation in China, administrators attempt to conceal any mention of LGBT issues. On campuses, many LGBT groups have found they can't register as legitimate societies. They try to maintain their presence, spread knowledge and seek equality all without any legal standing.


In order to survive and develop, they must be inventive and cautious.Over the past two years, they have written to more than 100 presidents of leading Chinese universities Adrien Silva Portugal Camisola , calling on them to show their concern for gay students and to lift the restrictions LGBT societies face on campuses. Even though they have received no replies, they haven't stopped.


They are student volunteers with the Tongai (which can be translated to "same-sex love" in English) Network, an LGBT rights organization based in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province.


Xiang Xiaohan, leader of the organization, said that they plan to send letters to the presidents again on National Teacher's Day this year. "Without the recognition of universities, the campus groups are illegal Eduardo Portugal Camisola , and their activities can be easily restricted," Xiang told the Global Times.


There are no rules explicitly banning LGBT organizations from campuses, but administrators rarely allow them to register and acquire legal standing.


Back in 2006, Sun Yat-Sen University (SYSU) in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province approved the registration of the first LGBT students' union on the Chinese mainland. But the university revoked its status the following year.


Even without official approval, however, many LGBT groups have been established on campuses.


"The presence of these societies on campuses is significant as college students will be backbone of the country after graduation Cedric Portugal Camisola ," Xiang said. He believes if students have a positive view of LGBT people, then this will have a huge impact on society's views in the long run.


Registration roadblock


But the societies' attempts to hold events often meet barriers due to their "illegal identity."


"Without registering, we are not allowed to put up banners, booths or posters on campus like other societies," Shen Jiayi, director of HOMOSCU, a homosexual association at a university in Chengdu Ricardo Quaresma Portugal Camisola , Southwest China's Sichuan Province told the Global Times.


According to him, all societies at his university need to register at the Students' Association Union