'Chinese Oprah Winfrey' Legendary Transgender Disappears from Stage... The Reason Is

Strengthening Ideological Control Also Includes Crackdown on Sexual Minorities

The performances of Jin Xing (57), a transgender dancer regarded as a legend in the Chinese dance world, have been repeatedly canceled, raising concerns about the crackdown on sexual minorities.

Transgender dancer Jin Xing from China. World Economic Forum

On the 3rd (local time), CNN and others reported that recent sudden cancellations of Jin Xing's performances by Chinese authorities have led CNN to point out that President Xi Jinping's authoritarian governance is putting China's most famous transgender figure in a difficult position, creating an environment where sexual minorities find it hard to live. At the end of last year, Jin Xing's theater performance in Guangzhou was canceled under the pretext of "lack of documentation." Other regional venues also halted performances without clear reasons.

CNN interpreted this as an expansion of Chinese authorities' crackdown on sexual minorities, including transgender, lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. The Chinese government is strengthening ideological control, believing that Western values negatively influence the people. This crackdown includes sexual minorities as well.

In October last year, Jin Xing sparked online debates about sexual minorities by revealing that a play she directed and starred in was denied performance permission by the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism. Jin Xing emphasized, "Present the real reason for the rejection and stop the abuse of power." Some speculate that the cancellation was due to Jin Xing holding a rainbow flag with the message "Love is genderless" during a performance in Taiyuan in January last year.

Transgender individuals in China have long faced social stigma and institutional discrimination, making it difficult to find jobs. In this context, Jin Xing has gained more attention as a "successful transgender person" based on decades of dance experience. She earned global fame as a TV talk show host, sold out concerts, and enjoyed popularity with 13.6 million followers on Weibo, China's social networking service.

Born in 1967 in Shenyang, northeastern China, Jin Xing is known as China's first transgender celebrity and an icon for sexual minorities. She underwent gender reassignment surgery in Beijing in 1995 and married her German husband Heinz-Gerd Oidtman in 2005. Chinese state media praised her as one of the "Top Ten Legendary Figures in Chinese Modern Dance." In the United States, she has been called "China's Oprah Winfrey." However, there is an interpretation that the stages Jin Xing can stand on in China are narrowing.

China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from the official list of mental disorders in 2001. Until a few years ago, Shanghai hosted annual parades for the sexual minority community. However, these activities have faced repression under President Xi Jinping's rule. CNN pointed out that this is because President Xi is pushing an authoritarian, conservative, and patriarchal vision.