In veiled campus survey, Chinese university seeks list of LGBTQ+ students

Shanghai University, in a ‘Campus Survey’, appeared to have asked its colleges to list out their LGBTQ+ students and report on their “state of mind”, The Guardian quoted a purported internal directive published which was published online on both Chinese and foreign social media platforms.

Even though Shanghai University has not confirmed or denied the request, it has sparked alarm among young Chinese people.

The survey cites “relevant requirements” and has asked colleges to “investigate [and] research” students who identify as LGBTQ+. It also requested information on the students’ state of mind and psychological condition. The investigation included their political stance, social contacts, and mental health status.

However, it should be pointed out that the survey did not explain what “relevant requirements” it was referring to.

As per students and activists, this gathering of information could hint at further targeting of students. The Guardian reported that legal experts are questioning whether such a practice would violate China’s new data privacy law.

The original post that was uploaded on Weibo was widely shared on social media. A Weibo user, who first posted the document, said that the post has been taken down. The Guardian, in its report, stated that access attempts to the original post elicited an error message.

The screenshot of the questionnaire was shared on Twitter. It prompted a heated discussion about China’s ongoing crackdowns on the country’s sexual minorities.

This comes on the heels of Chinese authorities’ deteriorating intolerance for gender and sexual minority groups, especially those who indulge in activism. It recently targeted feminist groups and individuals who sought to resist discrimination.

In July, scores of social media accounts run by LGBTQ+ university students were first blocked and then deleted without warning. This move drew ire from university students and activists. Those delete included accounts of registered student clubs and unofficial grassroots groups who operated for China’s LGBTQ+ youth.