Li Yinhe is a pioneering Chinese sociologist, sexologist, and activist. She was the first scholar in mainland China to conduct systematic research on homosexuality, publishing the groundbreaking work Their World: A Study of Homosexuality in China in 1992.
"Love is a human right that transcends gender."
Impact
For decades, Li has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights at the highest levels of Chinese policy-making. She is well-known for repeatedly submitting proposals for same-sex marriage legalization to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Her work has significantly shifted public discourse, moving the conversation from taboo to a matter of social science and human rights.