Photo of the Day: Rainbow Lawyers China

Our photo theme this week is China Pride. As the country’s biggest Pride celebration continues in Shanghai — in sync with Pride events across the world — we spotlight some of the organizations working throughout China to improve LGBTQ rights and awareness, often in extremely challenging circumstances.

While the rainbow flags and parties show a fun, colorful side to Pride and the push for greater LGBTQ acceptance in China, there is a huge amount of (sometimes less photogenic) serious work going on as well. For ShanghaiPRIDE and other organizations around the country, the bulk of their work is actually on education and awareness through talks, out-reach and more.

The above image shows the mailing out in mid-May (on Mother’s Day) of a legalistic report on “single women’s reproductive rights” and their alleged abuse. The report was prepared by Rainbow Lawyers China.

Founded in 2014, Rainbow Lawyers China is a volunteer organization consisting of around 60 lawyers and legal professionals who look to support China’s LGBTQ community through reports, petitioning, and going through the courts. The group has taken on a number of high profile cases in recent years, including China’s first ever legal case dealing with discrimination against a homosexual person in the workplace and representing “Mr C” who won China’s first transgender labor case last year.

Learn more about Rainbow Lawyers China’s work through their Facebook page.

Photo: Rainbow Lawyers China’s Weibo