A Chinese Broadcaster Censored the Phrase ‘Gay Man’ from Rami Malek’s Oscar Speech

A popular Chinese broadcaster is facing criticism for censoring an LGBT reference in a replay of Best Actor Rami Malek’s acceptance speech at Sunday’s Academy Awards.

The BBC reports that censorship by Mango TV, a popular broadcaster in China, has generated significant backlash on Chinese social media sites like Sina Weibo.

“We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life unapologetically himself, Malek said while accepting his award.

Mango TV’s webcast of the event reportedly replaced “gay man” with the phrase “special group.”

It’s not the first time Mango TV has been in the spotlight for censorship. In 2018, the Chinese broadcaster blurred out images of audience members waving rainbow flags during the popular Eurovision Song Contest. The European Broadcasting Union banned Mango TV from showing the popular Eurovision Singing Contest.

Chinese authorities often crack down on content they deem immoral on social media and television. Sina Weibo faced a flood of protest from users in early 2018 after it suggested that gay content might be suppressed.