Drew Dalton
Session summary
In recent years, unlike its counterpart in Russia and those of other autocratic nation states, China's Communist Party regime has largely managed to escape the spotlight on its worsening record on LGBTQ+ legal and social freedoms. Yet this vast country has for many years cracked down on all aspects of life for the LGBTQ communities - building a 'Great Wall of oppression' including intimidation, surveillance, censorship, banning of positive portrayals of LGBTQ+ identities in the media and restrictions on LGBTQ+ businesses and social spaces. While same-sex adult relationships are nominally legal, same-sex couples cannot marry or adopt and there are no official anti-hate crime or employment protections. China has consistently voted against LGBTQ+ human rights measures in the United Nations. Even Hong Kong, considered to be a more socially liberal 'gateway' to the country, recently voted down a proposal for same-sex marriage reform in the semi-autonomous territory. Drew will walk through some of the social and political history, the outlook for China's millions of LGBTQ+ citizens and what can be done to help reform. He will contrast China's experience with closely-related neighbour Taiwan which has legalised same-sex marriage.
৯:৩০ AM
২৪ অক্টোবর, ২০২৫
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Biography
Drew is the founder and currently the Chair of ReportOUT, the LGBTQ+ human rights charity. He has spent the last 20 years working within the NGO sector on both a national and international level in a range of varied roles, from human rights to international development. Drew brings key skills to ReportOUT, such as fundraising, charity operations and strategy, international development, human rights and volunteer management. Alongside this, he also has a background in education, is a qualified teacher, and is currently working as an academic and social researcher. Drew has a degree in BSc (Hons) Sociology and Social Research, MSc Social Research, MA Gender Research and an MPhil in Sociology. Drew has featured on various media outlets, including the BBC, Channel 4 News, ITV, and the New Arab, and in 2021, was voted 64/100 in the Pride Power List of the 100 most influential LGBTQ+ people in the U.K. He enjoys travel, photography, culture, politics, and social issues. He describes himself as bisexual and as a cisgender male.
