Filmmmaker and LGBTQ activist Fan Popo has made a career out of combating negative and untrue stereotypes surrounding homosexuality in China.
Earlier this month, 32-year-old Fan wrote an essay for Vice China about his experience participating in a kink.com adult film shoot back in 2013. Much to his surprise, the article actually made it through China’s heavily monitored, uber-strict media censors. Then, much to his shock, the article was quickly yanked down by Facebook.
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Within moments of sharing the link on his page, Fan received a notice saying he was banned from the social media platform for 24 hours for posting “pornographic content.”
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“I was quite surprised that Vice China could publish it,” he tells the Beijinger, “but I was more shocked when it was censored by Facebook, as we always assume the censorship in China is more strict than in the US.”
To make matters even stranger, Fan says, he had posted pictures from the shoot four years earlier and those were never flagged.
“Those original pictures from 2013 are still there,” Fan tells the Beijinger, before adding sarcastically: “Facebook should also be ashamed for carelessly letting those images go up years ago, so that so many people could see them.”
Fan has spent years fighting against Chinese censors to raise awareness to LGBTQ issues in this country. He never thought he’d have to fight Facebook, too. But he says he’s determined to press on.
“In the end, this event makes me feel even more strongly about continuing my writing,” he says. “I won’t care about censorship, I believe I can always find a way to reach my readers.”
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CastleSF
Can they ban the production of this company? The contents are degrading and they subject their performers to frightfully humiliating scenes.
tracibass45
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Brian
Plenty of people like it for exactly that reason, and it’s all consentual, so maybe try minding your own fu*king business instead of calling for a ban?
Miss Understood
Listen Mrs Kravitz, if you don’t like it then don’t look at it. You don’t need to police to people’s interests.
RoughRugger
Don’t like it? Don’t watch it. Easy peasey.
Kangol
Here’s some info on Fan Popo’s pioneering film work in China. Also, I’m with Brian on this. If adults want to pay to see videos involving consensual sex between adults, what’s the problem?
Jaxton
Porn in general is not sex, it’s prostitution.
Consensual sex is what you do at home for free, not on a stage surrounded by a director, fluffer and cameraman. Learn to distinguish betwern sex and porn.
CastleSF
Unless your soul is damaged or you simply have no shame or self respect, why would you like to watch porns that treat anther human being like a piece of garbage?
dean089
And how is prostitution not consensual? He agrees to do something, I agree to pay for it. Nobody’s holding a gun to anyone’s head and everyone gets what they want. But there’s always someone who counters with “Prostitution can lead to sex slaves.” Right. By that logic we need to ban children because children can lead to pedophilia. No children, no pedophilia. Oh, and marriage needs to be banned because that can lead to domestic abuse/violence. Really any and all interpersonal relationships need to be banned so that our society can finally be free of rape, robbery, murder, etc. Modern day Puritans need to learn to mind their own damn business. There is no crime where there is no victim — and, no, violating your moral disapproval does not make you a victim.
CastleSF
People who indulge in chemical drugs or hardcore porns need to realize that there are harsh consequences in your choices. The longer you allow yourself to descend into those dark places, the harder it is to get out.
Red Piano
Consensual sex is any kind of sex for which one has given consent, and has nothing to do with that at home, under the sheets, lights out, Barbie and Ken sex implied above, *except* that consent is given and not just implied.
Commercial porn (sold in the US) is not nonconsensual, nor is it – in states where it is legally produced for distribution – prostitution. NB: the California state statutes on adult video production which exempt adult video production from anti-pandering laws.
It’s all good and well to have one’s own opinion about pornography. However it’s not ok to have ones own facts when they compete with reality.
truthCANNON
@jaxton would freely posted amateur porn solely for stimulating an exhibitionistic fetish be considered prostitution as well? No. The legal dictionary say this: n. the profession of performing sexual acts for money. Prostitution is a crime throughout the United States, except for a few counties in the State of Nevada, where it is allowed in licensed houses of prostitution. Soliciting acts of prostitution is also a crime, called pandering or simply, soliciting. Porn is a billion dollar a year industry in the US alone. Now this is easy so stick with me because taxes are paid but that is not the case with a prostitute because that would be unreported income. No? What you say and the truth are black and white because what you consider is lateral to others who consider homosexuals an abomination. In the age of instant fact checking aka self education via multiple avenues if needed, to make an informed and valuable contribution to any discussion yet that is up to everyone to do and a high percentage don’t. It’s reflective of lack of education. Look, Its your opinion but fact disputes that and could be easily avoided. Now, Trump is being investigated for collusion citing Facebook as a major battleground for that victory and we all know they love the gays, right? Would sympathizing with a liberal be good for the massive divide right now? Facebook is awesome for anyome trying to obtain any information on anyone. Suspect is checked in at the dumb stick hotel and while getting drunk, lots of money is saved so people can try and look cool to people who they think care. Wow. Wake up.
gravityyaoi
His experience participating? He’s barely even in it. From what I saw he wasn’t participating, he stroked the guy a few times (barely on the privates) and that’s it. Maybe I missed something and if I did I’m sorry, but he might as well not have even been there. If you’re going to be truthful and write an article you better go all in, but that’s what journalism accounts for today.
Brian
This is Queerty you’re talking about. Even Donald Trump has higher journalistic standards than they do.
Jaxton
Facebook is discerning, not discriminating. It has a policy against pornography of all kinds – a uniform standard that does not confer favorable treatment on any kind of porn.
If the Chinese guy doesn’t wish to understand that, that’s his problem.
JamJewel
That’s BS! Facebook, like everything media, is run by men so all kinds of female full- and semi-nudity of women is allowed and one picture of a crotch is brought down. Even herein can be seen the hypocrisy of his 2013 posts still can be seen but now less graphic posts disallowed! Total hypocrisy and BS. I have a FB ‘friend’ whose selfies are close to pornographic and her pictures are uncensored by FB because it seems, all you have to do is cover up the nips and you’re fine!
Geeker
Why do guys keep trying to post sexual stuff on Facebook, you know they’re just going to yank it down, save it for your Twitter or Xtube accounts.
JamJewel
So, we already know that women have a hard time finding jobs and even harder in tech so imagine that the Facebook censors are mainly men who will bring down a crotch-shot in a heartbeat and leave all the female pornography in tact as long as the nips are covered. Gimmie a effin break!
Danny595
He combats anti-gay stereotypes by participating in a fetishistic porno film? Message to Popo: You’re not helping.
Red Piano
It look as if the anti-gay stereotypes here against porn actors, viewers, etc. are more intra-group. That’s even more scary.
Donston
It is a somewhat scary correlation. However, the porn industry is indeed rather fvcked up. People can say “consensual” all they want. But the industry does prey on people with mental illness, depression, low esteem and convoluted egos as well as people who are drug addicts or are in financial desperation, and they embrace even more predators and megalomaniacs than Hollywood or Washington combined. However, I can’t get too self-righteous because I still bust a nut here and there to pornography. Let us just not act as if it’s not a very fvcked up industry and that the over-indulgence of porn hasn’t screwed up a fair about of people.
Jaxton
I’m not aware of Facebook having a double standard. It bans crotch nudity for both males and females. I can’t see a double standard there.
In any case, Facebook is for attention whores.