China Arrests Female Authors in Crackdown on ‘Boys Love’ Fiction Genre

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

Chinese authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on female authors of “boys love” (BL) fiction, detaining and investigating dozens for allegedly disseminating obscene content. The move has ignited fears over rising censorship, gender discrimination, and suppression of LGBTQ-themed literature.

In recent weeks, police across China have summoned numerous women who write and share BL stories—fictional narratives focused on male-male romantic relationships. Many authors published their work on Haitang, a Taiwanese online platform popular among BL fans. Though homosexuality is not illegal in China, online publication of sexually explicit material is tightly controlled.

One student writer, known by the pen name Sijindejin, recounted being ordered to report to a police station in Gansu Province—almost 1,000 kilometers from her home. Despite earning only 4,000 yuan ($857) over several years of writing, she complied, fearing arrest. “I thought I was writing my future,” she posted online. “I didn’t realise that future pointed to prison.”

China’s crackdown is rooted in a 2010 law that criminalizes the online distribution of “digitally obscene” content generating over 5,000 views or 5,000 yuan in revenue. Legal experts say the law is outdated and disproportionately affects marginalized writers. In 2018, one author received a 10-year sentence for a BL novel that earned over 150,000 yuan.

Lawyer Zhang Dongshuo noted that recent arrests are not limited to high-earning writers. “Some detainees are students from low-income backgrounds who barely made money,” he said, suggesting authorities may be using the law to shape social norms, particularly amid declining national birth rates.

The crackdown has drawn backlash on Chinese social media, where users criticized the harsh measures. However, posts containing the phrase “offshore fishing”—used to describe local police summoning citizens from other regions—were quickly censored. Haitang, the BL fiction website at the center of the controversy, has been suspended until July 8.

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