Gay woman sues Chinese government over 'disorder' textbooks

University student Qui Bai turned to books after becoming confused about her sexuality, but discovered homosexuality was described as an illness

Qiu Bai has tried to sue the Chinese government three times (Getty)

A lesbian woman in China is suing the ministry of education over books that call homosexuality a “psychological disorder”, in a case accepted by a Beijing court.

The legal bid is the third attempt by a Guangdong student, who uses the pseudonym Qiu Bai, to take action against the ministry.

The 21-year-old turned to academic textbooks after becoming confused about her sexuality in her first year at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou. She said she became angry when she discovered homosexuality was referred to as an illness.

“Textbooks should at least describe homosexuality with objectivity,” she told Chinese website Sixth Tone.

“I don’t want discrimination permeating the school I live in and the materials I use every day,”

Homosexuality has been legal in China since 1997 and was removed from the list of mental illnesses in 2001, yet discrimination against LGBT people remains widespread and same-sex couples cannot marry in China - despite the law being challenged in the courts.

It comes days after a man launched a lawsuit against a Chinese mental hospital where he claims he was tied to a bed, beaten and force-fed drugs as part of “conversion therapy”.

His wife reportedly took him there in the hope he could be "cured".

Ms Qiu was persuaded to drop her first lawsuit after the ministry told her she could pursue the issue through a complaint process. But letters from more than 80 students did not get a response. Her second lawsuit failed after a court ruled the university’s lack of response had not infringed her rights.

The current lawsuit makes the case that "as a current university student, the plaintiff has a direct interest in the textbook materials".

Ms Qiu says her parents do not respect her sexuality.

“They still cannot accept that I’m a lesbian, and what I advocate,” she told Sixth Tone.

"They still believe that my sexuality can be changed.”