Premium Content:

Chinese company Alibaba praised for ad featuring a gay couple

Chinese company Alibaba has been praised by local LGBT groups for launching an advertisement the appears to be featuring a same sex couple. Alibaba is one of the country’s largest businesses.

- Advertisement -

The advertisement for subsidiary company TMall sees a same-sex couple returning home for Chinese New Year. The young man introduces his companion as Kevin, his father looks on suspiciously, while two young girls giggle.

When the father passes Kelvin some soup, he responds to the father saying “Thanks Dad’, creating an awkward silence.

The advertisement then advertises a site wide discount on buying dried seeds and nuts, riffing on a Chinese expression.

In a statement to CNN Business the company did not acknowledge the advertisement’s gay subtext but said Chinese New Year was an important family time.

“Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion and inclusion, and the ad is a creative expression to celebrate such an occasion,” a spokesperson said.

The advertisement has been getting positive feedback on Chinese social media sites. Homosexuality is legal in China and there are vibrant local gay communities, but many LGBT people face pressure from their families to marry an opposite sex partner and have children.

OIP Staff


 

Latest

Katie Noonan will celebrate Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’ album on a national tour

Her trip around Australia will begin in Perth this September.

Colton Ford, the adult film star turned singer, has died aged 62

Ford found fame later in life as an adult film star.

New data shows Western Australians are increasingly stressed

Startling new data has been presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth.

Liberal Tim Wilson claims victory in Goldstein again

The final count has given him a winning margin of 128 votes.

Newsletter

Don't miss

Katie Noonan will celebrate Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’ album on a national tour

Her trip around Australia will begin in Perth this September.

Colton Ford, the adult film star turned singer, has died aged 62

Ford found fame later in life as an adult film star.

New data shows Western Australians are increasingly stressed

Startling new data has been presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth.

Liberal Tim Wilson claims victory in Goldstein again

The final count has given him a winning margin of 128 votes.

‘Media Watch’ casts it’s eye over the latest claims about students identifying as cats and dogs

As always, they are all second hand unverified claims.

Katie Noonan will celebrate Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’ album on a national tour

Her trip around Australia will begin in Perth this September.

Colton Ford, the adult film star turned singer, has died aged 62

Ford found fame later in life as an adult film star.

New data shows Western Australians are increasingly stressed

Startling new data has been presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth.