A prominent LGBTQ+ center in China is closing down after 15 years, another sign of the tightening of space for sexual orientation-focused organizations under President Xi Jinping. In a statement on its WeChat account on Monday, the Beijing LGBT Center said it was terminating its operations effective immediately, saying only that the closing was due to a “force majeure.”

China’s LGBTQ community has been coming under increased political scrutiny as Xi promotes more conservative and conformist values around gender and sexual identity. Shanghai’s Pride organizers announced in 2020 that they would cease all activities, without giving a reason. Dozens of WeChat accounts run by LGBTQ groups at leading universities were blocked then deleted in 2021, prompting outrage. Some had tens of thousands of followers.

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