Oh, sure. I never talked about my sexuality or relationships at all prior to Vice making an issue of it. Of course the government knew about my sexual orientation.
Key issues:
1. Every journalist I had met with up until my Vice interview had agreed to "No discussion of relationships or sexual orientation". This goes back years- it's not something that was retconned because I was unhappy with Vice (sorry conspiracy theorists). Most were initially surprised by what is obviously meant, but quickly realized the issue and were very good about it. Wall Street Journal interviewed me long before Vice and can verify that this has always been a condition. Like a lot of Chinese I had a naive trust of Western media and thought them above this kind of betrayal. Obviously now I know better. Vice like the others agreed to my conditions.
2. China issues:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-08-14/many-gay-chinese-prefer-fake-marriages-facing-family-home Nearly every picture of me for the last five years has my wedding ring in it. This is normal for us, and saves a lot of hassles- particularly with parents and business dealings. If I had my way I would have never had to be open about it. Vice had other ideas.
3. I spent three full days with Sarah Emerson (whom I don't blame for all this, everything I've been told indicates she was duped by Jason Koebler who needed someone I would trust, I think she did the interview in good faith but he had other plans). During those three days, Sarah did something I did not allow any other journalist to do- visit and film in my home. I only allowed this because of the agreement and because I had to put to rest rumors that I was fake- which I did by spending several hours fabricating a robot to pour drinks for them while they filmed. Even if I had not been candid in casual conversation with Sarah, once you are in my home- the whole thing is really clear, sleeping arrangements and such.
Once you have seen first hand what my arrangement is, and know my orientation "Heeeeeeey how about that husband of yours?" is no longer a good-faith question. But it's a question that *sounds* innocent to readers who don't know what Vice knew when they asked. Vice knew I was a closeted lesbian in Mainland China. Vice does not deny this- they say they wanted to discuss it in a "positive way".
Vice has a circulation of over 1 million- and is widely translated and distributed all over Chinese social media. Which is why I agreed to interview with them- a slightly higher online profile could translate into a degree of latitude with my open and illegal VPN activity. Being popular in the West and giving face to China can make you a *lot* safer. Unlike Reddit, 4chan, or other places the rumors that "it must be a White man responsible for all my work" were circulated. If Vice brings it up, it's going on Weibo, they will dig- and that can get very, very bad.
1. I could say nothing- which would make me guilty by omission, it would be the same as admitting it was true in the eyes of most. "What are you hiding?" was a very dangerous question at the time for people to start asking.
2. I could admit to having a foreign "husband"- but provide no detail other than that. With Vice's circulation, I would immediately be accused by Chinese of being influenced by “Western hostile forces”.
Given that I had already engaged in socially disruptive conduct over the inclusion of Chinese women at tech events:
https://imgur.com/gallery/pk2Xd The Feminist Five had been jailed recently for doing something far more innocent I had every reason to be very, very scared. Of course the gov knows about me, but Chinese netizens are another matter. I'd be in very deep shit, very quickly if my campaigning for inclusion could be chalked up to me being the puppet of a foreigner.
The minute the Human Flesh Search Engine was launched in response to my "husband", I'd be outed. I have enough past partners that one would speak up- thinking she was defending me, plenty of photos with dates floating around. My arrangement would not hold up to the kind of scrutiny that Vice discussing it would bring to bear from Chinese netizens (and did not, I was effectively outed by them).
I spelled this out for Vice- I begged them for a month. I asked them to consult *any* China foreign correspondent and verify what I was saying. I contacted over a dozen journalists for help they refused, I contacted journalist ethics orgs- was told Vice was not breaking the law. I contacted the EFF, women in tech orgs- and was ignored. This was not me "angry I could not control the story" and instantly doxxing someone- this was me begging for someone to verify what I was saying with experts who deal with Chinese sources for a month.
Then there was another problem- which I can't go into. But suffice to say it was made absolutely clear that it was critical that my story "not embarrass China". And sorry, you do what you have to do at that point. But I did everything in my power to get some mediation, some arbitration, someone to say either I was full of shit or not- but all the people who say I did the "wrong thing" afterward- were completely unwilling to step up and help before I did.
I had friends that argued that the rumors I was gay or foreign-influenced circulating since the Vice article, were more damaging than an admission of the truth. Historically in China, until very recently it was always safer to deny, even if caught in the act, deny. Too many doors slam if you are LGBT and not rich. I eventually took the risk and conceded the rumors were true. I'm still seeing how that is going to play out.
In the end, Vice came to China- I didn't go there, they asked to interview me, then after they left decided to put eyes on something that it was made absolutely clear could result in detention. I'm sorry I got my dirty blood over their nice clean knives but none of this was initiated by me, up until Vice everyone who interviewed me had nothing but good things to say. But afterward, yes their spin and smear campaign was very effective- it's what they do for a living, I make stuff.
There is more detail here:
https://medium.com/@therealsexycybo...ding-deplatforming-and-detention-140fed4b9554
But that's about as brief as I can make it. I can't really detail pressure by state actors beyond my own detention- since there is the risk of the pressure being exerted on my family, but other than that the "cats out of the bag" and there's no point in being secretive about my personal life or the details of what Western media has done.
Which in fairness might happen later, but so far like the song says "There are no strings on me".
