a curious person · 2mo
Thanks for always putting so much thought and giving such detailed answers with these! I read one of your anon asks where you said how the government doesn't really care how you live your life as long as you don't go around publicly advertising or announcing it. I wanted to know more about how that relates with yizhan if you don’t mind answering. Totally okay if you don’t know for sure, I am just curious what your thoughts are on it.
I know the fandom jokes how 2026 is THE year for bjyx but I always believed that until they are no longer working, they would not be able to publicly confirm their relationship. I got the impression that in China, celebrities have to be like model representations of china? So being publicly queer wouldn’t be possible while they continue to work? Or maybe they won’t ever be able to do it, since even after they retire, their social medias will still have large followings so its a similar situation?
Of course yizhan never have to come out publicly but I’m curious if it is even possible for them to do so in the first place.
i should be thanking you for reading them!! 🥹 i love these mini essays and discussions because it keeps me thinking, and i'd already be super happy if even one person enjoys them ♡
i agree with you 1823%! stardom adds a thick layer of complexity to yz's case. because chinese media and entertainment, for better or for worse, is so deeply connected with and watched by the government, celebrities all have this unspoken responsibility to be "good role models" to the public and reflect state-sanctioned ideals. the more famous you are, the more this is compounded, because more people know you — what more people like xz and yb, who have been the face of MANY government-related campaigns (national songs, state-funded films/dramas, etc.)
imo unless there is some mysterious change of heart in the administration — where they decide they suddenly want to allow for stronger queer rights/representation/legislation — it will be incredibly difficult for them to come out and still continue to work at their current level as public figures ;; i'm happy to be corrected about this, but i don't think there have been any openly queer celebrities who have continued to enjoy unhindered work in mainland china.
though nothing will really be holding them back after they retire i.e. once career obligations are out the window, i think they probably would never publicly confirm any sort of relationship, period!! because why invite unnecessary attention when they probably would want to be out of the public eye once they leave the industry, you know? i think (even now!) they're just no longer the type of people to share something so private with the world; they've given so much of themselves already that i think they're probably more than happy to keep this little thing to themselves!
like i LOVE yz and truly believe they are szd and some insane higher cosmic power is writing their ✨ incredible love story ✨
BUT i've also always believed 2026 is just another year that will come and go, just the same as all the rest :') even if anything were to happen this year, i'd be banking more on like a joint public appearance or some big film award attendance together, or a silly and unexpected and unthinkable thing as one being at the other person's concert shfdjsfhjsfhs. a public relationship announcement was never ever on the cards for me personally
but hey that's just what i think!! who knows, right? :') yz have always been full of surprises ♡
if you don't mind me nerding out, i actually have some recommended reading on the topic in this ask i.e. queerness in china esp re: celebrities!!! i read these years ago when i first got into yz and bookmarked them because i found them super informational. i hope you enjoy ;v;
→ the industry climate for queer celebrities in china, according to a film/tv director who did a clubhouse talk session
→ the one time the cn government might have considered legalising same-sex marriage ft. yb's sneakers lol
→ an analysis of what it means to be a state-approved star in mainland china through the case study of andy lau — this one isn't 100% related, but i felt this fit here because it sets the tone for expectations of celebrities in general (re: their public persona, their relationship status) and how intertwined celebrity images are with the state's image
