China Gay Travel Index 2026
Score = Legal 36/60 + Scene 19/40 = 55/100
Updated 7 Oct 2026 · release 2026.3.
A live score, not an annual report — it recomputes as laws, rulings and the scene itself change. See what moved in 2026.
Legal composite · Legal milestones · Scene on the ground · Plan your trip · Frequently asked questions
Legal composite — 36/60 points
| Criminalization | Legal · restricted |
|---|---|
| Partnership | ● No not recognised |
| Anti-discrimination | ● No |
| Gender recognition | Legal route — recognition possible via medical or administrative process |
| Enforcement reality | Harassment — police or state harassment documented |
Research note: Surgery-required hukou change; NGO event crackdowns — GayOut Index 2026.3 legal research (ILGA World / Human Dignity Trust / Rainbow Europe / Equaldex).
Legal composite, five components
Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.
Legal milestones
Background, not travel advice — how the current status came to be. For planning a trip, rely on the current score, tier and scene sections above; 2026 movements are tracked in the sourced change log.
- 1997China decriminalized same-sex activity by removing the hooliganism offence from its criminal code. ↗
- 2001The Chinese Society of Psychiatry removed homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders. ↗
- 2016A Changsha court rejected mainland China's first same-sex marriage lawsuit, and regulators banned LGBTQ+ depictions in media. ↗
- 2017Legal guardianship agreements became available, giving same-sex couples a limited substitute for marriage rights. ↗
- 2021Authorities shut down dozens of LGBTQ+ student group accounts on WeChat amid tightening censorship under Xi Jinping. ↗
- TodaySame-sex activity stayed legal but unrecognized, with no marriage, no anti-discrimination laws and increasing censorship of queer content. ↗
Sources: ILGA World · Human Dignity Trust · Equaldex. Each milestone links to a reference source ↗.
Scene on the ground — 19/40 points
Detailed scene metrics (for researchers)
| Gay bars per million | 0.02 |
|---|---|
| Saunas per million | 0 |
| Events per million | 0 |
| Coverage grade | A |
| Scene score | 19/40 (raw scene index 48/100) |
Frequently asked questions
Is China safe for gay travellers?
China is rated Some caution on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, scoring 55/100 overall with a legal safety component of 36/60. On enforcement reality, police or state harassment is documented.
Is same-sex marriage legal in China?
No. Same-sex marriage is not legal in China. Overall legal status: Legal · restricted.
Does China have a gay scene?
Yes. GayOut lists 102 LGBTQ+ venues in China, including 25 dedicated gay bars, across 9 cities with a scene, and tracks 1 Pride parades there.
Which city in China has the biggest gay scene?
Chengdu has the largest documented LGBTQ+ scene in China, with 12 venues listed in the GayOut directory, followed by Shanghai (8 venues).
How many gay bars and saunas are there in China?
GayOut currently lists 25 dedicated gay bars and 1 gay saunas in China, and tracks 1 Pride parades there. Counts exclude venues that are merely gay-friendly.