Organization Introduction

Common Language is a community-based non-profit organization established in January 2005. Common Language focuses on Chinese communities suffering from oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity and endeavors to educate the general public on sexual diversity issues, eradicate discrimination and fight for equal rights through community mobilizing, public education, and policy advocacy.

Common Language’s core values: Equality, Diversity, and Openness.

In 2008, Common Language was awarded Netherlands’ Mama Cash “She Changes the World” award.

Common Language core values: equality, diversity and openness.

 

“Rainbow School” Program Introduction

Sexuality and development issues continue to get more attention both globally and in China, with the visibility and living situation of sexual minorities as a hot-button issue within both domestic and international governmental/inter-governmental organizations, and civil society. .
University life is a critical period in one’s personal development. Students who identify as sexual minorities often struggle with sexual orientation and gender expression; some even suffer from discrimination and bullying perpetrated by others, which negatively impact their life and study. Due to the sensitivity of sexual minority issues, it is extremely challenging to establish sexual and gender diversity student groups, making it difficult to carry out peer support work.

In order to support to these students, Common Language is committed to youth capacity building, which will enhance students’ awareness of sexual and gender diversity, and empower them to influence people around them. This capacity building enables youth participants to improve campus environment, establish gender and diversity student groups, and organize sexual and gender diversity activities.

 

Program Objectives

Long-term Outcome

To integrate the awareness of sexual and gender equality into the development of Chinese grassroots organizations; enable queer-identified youth to be an active catalyst in the movement to promote sexual and gender equality awareness.

 

Strategy

To build a sexual and gender equality education platform consisting of youth, youth organizations, university faculty members, and NGOs, to carry out various forms of sexual and gender equality education activities;
To carry out capacity building for youth to promote sexual and gender equality awareness, and promote the development of gender equality education activities on campus.

 

Achievements

The capacity building sessions enhanced students’ awareness and sense of sexual and gender diversity and empowered them to influence people around them. After capacity building, youth participants gained the ability to improve campus environments, some founded student groups related to sexual and gender diversity, and others organized sexual and gender diversity activities on campus.

In 2014, Common Language organized the first youth capacity building cycle. The second cycle was in 2015 and the participants proposed six projects and five of them applied for Common Language’s Campus Micro-grants, to hold ten events in different universities.
In addition, two participants in 2014 became facilitators of this program in 2015 and one participant was invited to be the guest speaker, invited to share what she learned and practiced from the program. The “Rainbow School” program can provide support in creating more events on campus but also cultivates more organizers and facilitators for future sessions. 2016 Rainbow Campus is under planning and two organizers are from 2015 trainees.

 

2015 “Rainbow School” Achievements

Project	Content
Day of Silence	The Action: Students wore black masks with anti-discrimination slogans and took pictures around campus to post on social media. Roundtable: The development of grassgroots organizations
Reducing Queueing Times at Women’s Restroom	Research on proportion of single-sex restrooms on campus and produced a research report. Then, a video messaige was made for the university to adjust the proportion of toilet
Have/Hug herstory	Established WOMEN (a feminist student group on campus) Organized 7 workshops to promote sexual and gender equality.
LGBTQ Friendly Businesses	Established “壹同”(a LGBTQ student group on campus) Research on LGBTQ friendly businesses around campus and foster collaboration.
Calling out Homophobic Professors	To distribute LGBTQ educational materials right before class and elicit discussion, or comments around faculty and students which brings the attention to the issues of sexual and gender diversity.
Bisexual Story-telling	Bisexuals tell their stories to improve LGBTI-friendliness on campus.

 

Our Plan

In 2016, Common Language is continuing to carry out youth capacity building in Beijing in order to collectively build a friendly campus environment.

1. Capacity building: 15 youth participants will attend three capacity building sessions per cycle, once every two weeks from September to October in Beijing. Topics include: sexual and gender diversity, gender equality, sexual rights, civil society and social justice, theme day advocacy, organizing campus activities, establishing student groups, etc. At the end of cycle, there is a reflection session. The participants are encouraged to participate in more activities outside of this program as well.

2. Action: after each session, the participants will complete self-directed activities in order to build up to a project proposal, which requires the participants to start planning from the first session. It will be discussed among peers and receive guidance from the facilitators. Outstanding proposals will be awarded a Common Language Mini-grant (up to 500RMB each) by peer selection using participatory grant-making methods. The program coordinator and facilitators will follow-up with and provide guidance, materials, and mentorship to guarantee the project’s completion.

3. Outreach: Common Language will bring this program to be piloted in grassroots community-based organizations in other areas to support local LGBTQ community. Xi’an is the first pilot this year.

 

Pride8 Donates 30K RMB to Common Language