A cross-border campaign about LGBT cinema sparked speculation
Recently, a multi-month event was held in Chengdu jointly organized by the Consulates General of Germany, Australia, France, the Netherlands, Israel and the United Kingdom. As part of the event, the embassies of these countries in China have shown LGBT-themed films, aiming to raise the awareness of gender equality among the people of the eastern countries and promote social diversity and inclusion through the form of films.
Such a transnational event has undoubtedly attracted a lot of attention. On the one hand, the protection of the rights and interests of the LGBT community has always been a hot issue of concern to the international community, and publicity through movies can indeed play a certain role in social education. On the other hand, the fact that so many countries can participate together also means that the international community attaches great importance to diversity and inclusiveness, as well as a recognition of the cultural influence of the eastern powers.
Although such activities are intended to promote social progress and equality, they have also sparked some conjecture and discussion. Are all international impacts positive? In the process of promoting diversity and inclusion, how should we balance different cultural concepts and values?
1. Conjectures triggered by the activities of the Diversity Month
1. Film promotion and social education
We have to admit that LGBT propaganda through movies is indeed a relatively effective means of social education. As a mass cultural product, film has a strong appeal and influence, which can penetrate into the hearts of the people, touch the emotions of the audience, and trigger their conjectures about social phenomena.
In real life, many people still have various misunderstandings and prejudices about the LGBT community, and even discrimination and exclusion. And when they see the real life and emotional world of the LGBT community through the movie, they are likely to have a touch to start re-examining their own concepts, and gradually accept and tolerate people of different sexual orientations.
It can be said that such film publicity activities do have a positive role and significance in promoting diversity and inclusion in society and promoting the awareness of gender equality.
2. Transnational influence and cultural diffusion
In addition, such an event involving multiple countries also means cultural exchange and influence between different countries. In today's globalized world, the development and progress of various countries are inseparable from each other's mutual learning and reference, as well as the common protection of cultural diversity.
Western countries have always attached great importance to the protection of the rights and interests of the LGBT community, and have made a lot of progress and achievements in this regard. They hope that through such activities, they will spread their ideas and experiences to more people, including those living in large eastern countries, so as to have a certain impact on their values and social systems.
For the big countries in the East, it is indeed necessary to have an open and inclusive mindset to accept all kinds of cultural shocks and ideological inspirations from the outside world, so as to continuously enrich their own cultural connotation and promote social progress and development.
2. Conjectures on diversity and inclusion
1. Differences between Eastern and Western cultures
Despite the good intentions of Western countries and the hope that through such activities, social progress and equality can be promoted, we cannot ignore the huge differences in values between Eastern and Western cultures.
In the eyes of Western countries, individual freedom and equal rights are the most important social values, and no matter what kind of sexual orientation, they should be respected and protected by society. In the traditional culture of the big eastern countries, the concept of family and collective interests are often more important than the freedom and rights of individuals, and even sacrifice some individual rights and interests to maintain the stability of the family and society.
The diversity and inclusiveness advocated by Western countries may not be fully accepted and recognized by the people of every large eastern country, especially some of the older generation, whose ideas and concepts have also been profoundly influenced by traditional culture, and the degree of acceptance of the LGBT community may be relatively low.
2. Cultural clash and self-identity
Against this backdrop, blindly introducing the Western concept of pluralism and inclusiveness into the big Eastern countries is likely to lead to various cultural conflicts and social contradictions. We can't expect to change the concept and value orientation of the whole society through one or two films, but on the contrary, it may arouse the rebellion of some people, believing that their cultural traditions have been invaded and destroyed by outsiders.
In the process of promoting diversity and inclusiveness, we must respect the cultural autonomy of each country and region, avoid imposing Western concepts on other countries, and fully communicate and negotiate with the local people to find a way to promote LGBT people that can not only protect the rights and interests of the LGBT community, but also conform to the characteristics of local culture.
3. Harmonious coexistence of family and society
1. The importance of family values
Whether it is a Western country or a large country in the East, the family plays a very important role in human society, it is the cell of society, and it is an important place for people's emotional communication and moral cultivation. The so-called family is not just composed of parents and children, but a broader concept, including men, women, elders and children, each member has its own unique responsibilities and roles.
In the traditional culture of the great Eastern countries, people's attachment and sense of belonging to home are often stronger than those in Western countries, and they believe that only people with strong family ties can have a real sense of happiness and security, and can also make positive contributions to the stability and prosperity of society.
2. Family-society interaction
In the process of promoting diversity and inclusion, we must not ignore the family level, but should strengthen communication and understanding between family members through various ways, so that they can face various challenges and changes in society together under the premise of respecting each other.
The society should also provide all kinds of support and guarantees for the harmonious development of the family, whether it is education, medical care or employment, should fully consider the special needs of the family, so that every family member can find their own position and value on the big stage of society.
I would like to emphasize that the promotion of diversity and inclusion does not mean denying individual differences, nor is it to blur all cultural concepts, but to tolerate and accept different voices and existences under the premise of respecting others, find resonance points between various cultures, and establish real dialogue and cooperation on an equal footing.
In such an era full of challenges and opportunities, each of us should have an open and inclusive mindset to understand and respect different cultural traditions and aesthetics, and at the same time have a critical thinking to examine the various influences and guidance of the external world, find a suitable cultural identity, and make positive explorations and contributions to the harmonious development of society.