Research programme

The Leiden Chinese Queer Collection

Building on its extensive holdings in Asian studies, including much material that can support the study of “unofficial” histories and cultures, Leiden University Libraries has established the Leiden Chinese Queer Collection (LCQC).

Duration: 2024
Contact: Marc Gilbert

LEZS is a lesbian magazine made in Taiwan

The LCQC aims to collect, preserve, and make accessible primary source material and scholarship on the Chinese queer experience, and to facilitate collaboration between academics, activists, and archivists. Thus, it hopes to help advance gender and sexual equality and diversity through research, education, and outreach, with a key role for community involvement.

In the LCQC, “queer” is a broad signifier for people identifying with non-normative genders and sexualities, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and more (LGBTQIA+). “Chinese” denotes the Chinese-speaking world (mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore) and its diasporas. “The Chinese queer experience” is an overarching expression for diverse experiences at individual and collective levels, in different spheres of life. These can relate to identity and community formation, familial and social relationships, public health, social justice, legal rights, language, cultural production, discourses and histories of queerness, queering theory and method in scholarship, etc.

Leiden University Libraries already has a solid and diverse collection of primary source material and scholarship on the Chinese queer experience in literary works, films, monographs, journal publications, and so on. Regular acquisition will allow the LCQC to grow steadily.

Donations of source material and external financial support by individuals and institutions will be crucial for accelerating the process and for enabling the LCQC to diversify and expand in areas such as unofficial publications, archival material, imprints, ephemera, etc.

LES+ is a lesbian magazine made in mainland China

Financial support for the LCQC will be channeled toward activities such as

Acquisition, description, cataloging, and conservation
Digitization, storage, and online access of digitally born materials
Events related to the aims of the LCQC (public lectures, workshops, conferences, etc.)
Fellowships and internships that support research, education, and outreach.

Starting from 2026, the LCQC Engagement Award (EUR 250) will be presented annually to one or several students, for scholarly and creative projects that engage with the collection in inspiring ways and further its aim of advancing gender and sexual equality and diversity through education, research, and outreach. For more information on the award and the submission process, see here.

Please contact us on email if you wish to donate source materials, draw our attention to source materials we should seek to acquire, offer financial support, or put us in touch with potential donors.

The LCQCs is overseen by a steering committee (in alphabetical order of surname):

Hongwei Bao (media studies, University of Nottingham; Leiden University affiliate)
Marc Gilbert (Chinese special collections curator, Leiden University Libraries)
Michael Yiqiang Liu (LGBTQ rights activist; law, Leiden University)
Yanhui Peng (LGBTQ rights activist; Leiden University affiliate)
Limin Teh (history, Leiden University)
Maghiel van Crevel (literature, Leiden University)
Ying Zhang (history, Leiden University)
TBA (MA student representative, Leiden University)