China slowly awakens to its AIDS/HIV crisis (Chicago Tribune)

“HANGZHOU, China — On a Saturday night as the disco beat pulsated at a popular gay bar, this prosperous industrial city was set to enter the modern, cautious age of AIDS awareness due to the efforts of local health officials and visiting experts from Chicago.

The first evening did not go exactly as anticipated.

While the drag-queen act performed as scheduled, plans to offer free HIV tests in the bar were changed at the last minute because of squeamish Chinese perspectives on homosexuality and AIDS. The tests were relegated to the backroom of a teahouse across the street, and there were few takers from the bar.”

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