Promo | Queer Talks – Three Rainbows

On June 26th, Queer Talks hosted three bilingual forums for Rainbow Month at the Goethe Institut (Department of Culture and Education): Trans Rainbow, Black Rainbow, and Generational Rainbow. The audience composed of approximately 70% Chinese nationals and 30% ex-pats, representing a coalition of queer folk and allies alike.

Trans Rainbow facilitated a majority Chinese panel representing a spectrum of gender minorities. One panelist was the founder of Trans Brotherhood China, an organisation that explicitly serves the needs of the transmasculine and non-binary community. Another panelist was a member of Trans Talks, a Shanghai-based organisation that mobilises to assist the Chinese trans community through mental/physical health services, community building, and alterations to official documents. The panel discussed multiple topics including challenges with family, the workplace, and within the queer community.

Black Rainbow featured a variety of Black Queer experiences from Kenya, South Africa, and the United States. The forum kicked off with a Virtual Reality Art Exhibition showcasing the works of various Queer Kenyan artists. This was followed by a transformative South African drag queen performance and a heavily engaging personal story on finding love as a Black person in China. The forum was concluded by dual spoken word performances in Xhosa and English by the founders of RiverRoots, SS.Tribe, and CFInc. RiverRoots is an organic, handmade brand that moisturises and gives healing energies to the mind, body, and soul. SS.Tribe Collective is a global, collaborative, creative art project established during the 2020 pandemic. CFInc is an art lifestyle brand that serves as a creative manifesto for consciously diverse communities worldwide.

Generational Rainbow facilitated a majority Chinese panel whose stories served to bridge generational gaps within the queer community. We heard from the founder of the Oral History of Older Gay Men in Canton and listened to the words of a mother who volunteers for PFLAG China (now known as True Self) and publicly speaks about her acceptance of her gay son. Finally, we concluded the day with the founder of ShanghaiPRIDE, Ladies Who Tech, and Diversity and Inclusion Company, whose words resonated with everyone in the room: “ShanghaiPRIDE may no longer exist but that doesn’t mean there is no Pride in Shanghai!”