China’s propaganda departments, from the highest levels, such as the State Council Information Office, which oversees government communications, to local bureaus, were told to classify the topic of “Taiwan becoming a legal area for same-sex marriage” as a politically sensitive topic, according to China Digital Times, which tracks censorship information. Government authorities were asked to use quotation marks around words like constitution, Judicial Yuan (Taiwan’s top court), Legislative Yuan (Taiwan’s Parliament), and president, and not to present Taiwan as a separate political entity. The State Council Information Office did not immediately reply to requests for comment from Quartz.

Some obstructive forces from the government are still “trying to prevent same-sex marriage from becoming a mainstream topic,” says Li. But she added, regardless of its political identity, Taiwan’s cultural similarities and geographical proximity will motivate gay people on the mainland to strive for their rights.

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