Homophobia in Haixing

[extrapenguin]

If I were to write a Guardian fic the point of which was something completely unrelated to homophobia, but which ended with Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan getting a happily ever after, what level of societal homophobia would not throw you out of the story? Would you find it jarring if they dared hold hands in public? If they dared kiss? If they introduced each other as romantic partners in casual-ish conversation without too much euphemism? Their nearest and dearest would know, and marriage wouldn't be on the table anyway, but ... what is the range of attitudes that wouldn't have the readership's suspension of disbelief come crashing down?

On the one hand, I want this to be happily-ever-after dancing on roses without a cloud in sight; on the other, a lot of the relationship developments of canon make more sense if Haixing is at least somewhat homophobic. So: advice?

Comments

[extrapenguin]

Yup, that was me! The SID will not cause our couple grief.

As for what's going on in Dixing, we know less of it, but in episode 16, Zhao Yunlan goes around assuming that it's similar enough to Haixing, and IIRC in episode 17 there will be a scene that is readable as at least a metaphor for homophobia. I think I'd give them at least a different set of hang-ups, but I doubt it'll come up.

[solo]

But the fun thing about Zhao Yunlan assuming Dixing is so similar to Haixing is how he's completely wrong about that and makes people suspicious with his talk of schools and hospitals. :)

Yeah, it simply more fun if different places have different hang-ups.

[extrapenguin]

But the fun thing about Zhao Yunlan assuming Dixing is so similar to Haixing is how he's completely wrong about that and makes people suspicious with his talk of schools and hospitals. :)
Indeed it is! But we can still gather that he didn't see any out-and-proud obviously gay couples in Dixing, and based on a few other things (like Shen Wei's comments about Chu Shuzhi during the personality swap episode), I think we can conclude that there are perobably reasons beyond the population density for Zhao Yunlan not seeing any gay couples. :P

[solo]

like Shen Wei's comments about Chu Shuzhi during the personality swap episode

I admit I never read those as homophobic in principle (in another place he is very approving of Chu and Guo's socialist brotherhood) but more as an observation that the way Chu is being made to act is a way Chu himself would really, really hate - and I don't think he's wrong there.

I mean, sure, one can read latent homophobia (or at least phobia of effeminate behaviour in men) into that but on a more nuanced character level, to me it didn't seem to be that.

reasons beyond the population density for Zhao Yunlan not seeing any gay couples.

LOL. Yes, given that at least 40 people live in Dixing, there should be at least two couples! :)

(I actually, first time round, thought for a while that Shaya and Wossname were meant to be a lesbian couple, but then they were just sisters. Ho hum.)