China arrests more than 30 female writers in crackdown on gay erotic fiction
More than 30 female writers have now been arrested in China in connection with a crackdown on gay erotic fiction.
Listen to this article
Recent months have seen China's police force arrest over 30 individuals – almost all of whom are women in their 20s. over claims they penned saucy novels.
The crackdown, which began in February, marked the start of a crackdown on the publication of gay erotic fiction.
Often referred to as “danmei”, the genre of writing first emerged in the 1990s and often involves a BDSM relationship between two male characters, with its history rooted in the popularity Manga comics.
"I've been warned not to talk about it," one writer admitted online, before revealing details of her arrest following the publication of her gay erotica.
"I'll never forget it - being escorted to the car in full view, enduring the humiliation of stripping naked for examination in front of strangers, putting on a vest for photos, sitting in the chair, shaking with fear, my heart pounding."
Writing under the handle, Pingping Anan Yongfu, on Chinese social media platform Weibo, she is among at least eight other writers to be arrested in recent months.
After her post went viral, she deleted it. The author then wrote another post admitting that she had broken the law before deleting her account on the platform.
With a growing number of arrests taking place in China, dozens of lawyers are now offering to represent the authors pro bono.
Under China's strict pornography laws, writers who earn money from their creative tales and who are found guilty of “producing and distributing obscene materials” could face around 10 years in prison.
Danmei has become increasingly popular in recent years, with around 60 “danmei” stories optioned for film and TV in 2021.
According to available data, the most expensive of which sold its rights for over £4 million.