Chinese News Coverage of Lesbians and Gay Men: A Positive Discourse Analysis.

While considerable studies have revealed that homosexual individuals are negatively and stereotypically portrayed, little is still known about how the negative portrayals are challenged and delegitimated in the Chinese media. To address this gap, the article investigates how lesbian and gay (LG) people are represented in Chinese newspapers by employing a positive discourse analysis approach. Data for this study are gathered from <italic>China Daily</italic> and <italic>Global Times</italic>. Drawing on van Leeuwen’s social actors model, this article reveals how both newspapers actually construct positive discourses to legitimate the status of LG individuals. The significant positive discourses include (a) resisting the stigmatization of LG people as unhealthy, (b) endorsing external support for LG rights, (c) legitimating LG-themed social activities, and (d) recognizing LG people’s value to Chinese society. Given that same-sex marriage is still oppressive and illegal in China, potential factors that underlie the positive media coverage of LG individuals are finally discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]