The fifth Shanghai Pride festival has been running through this week. The festival included the Pride5 Film Festival, the Pride5 Art Exhibition and a 5-kilometer run through Shanghai from Xujiahui Park to Fuxing Park. It aimed to raise awareness of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) issues, such as social acceptance, marriage equality and sexual health.

For the first time, as a part of the festival, there was a panel discussion on workplace diversity and acceptance. Organizers were hoping for a bigger turnout than last year, and wanted to promote LGBT cultural development. What do Shanghai expats think of the Gay Pride festival? How does it compare to celebrations in their own countries?

Ida Sandgarde, from Sweden, home-school teacher

"I think it's a good event for people from all over the world to meet a lot of other gay and straight people, and also because it's a chance for China to open up to the world.

I think it's not that common to be gay in China. So here you can meet up at a place where everybody can be at home. I think it will make it easier for gay people to come out and it might be more socially acceptable.

Gay Pride is very big in Sweden. It's a big event and everybody loves Gay Pride." 

Stuart Roberts, from the UK, journalist

"I went to a gay event at the Shanghai Studios to mark Gay Pride and it was a fantastic evening, with a really positive vibe and a really good atmosphere. I think China is quite accepting of homosexuals, bisexuals and people of all sexualities and orientations.

In China, the LGBT community is being represented. It's good to have somewhere where they can all party and have fun, and I can see there being bigger parties in the future.

But I think it needs to be advertized more so more people know about it. It shouldn't just be confined to a few clubs and places throughout the city."

Samar Mandour, from the UK, student

"It was a really intense festival, and I saw a lot of the celebrations on television. The festival has showed the development of China and that there was more acceptance than people think. I think people accept homosexuality more these days.

The festival was big and I reckon more people will come out. I think it will be getting bigger every year as more people become accepting of homosexuality. More people will come out of 'the closet,' and it will help them 'come out' in China.

I live in England and it's more secretive here in China than back home. In England, people are 'allowed' to be gay more than they are here. The Gay Pride festivals we have in England are much bigger. Here it's a bit calmer and quieter."

Monica Ezsias, from the UK, retailer

"The festival was beautiful, colorful and fun! In 2009 there wasn't a parade because they couldn't get the authority to hold a parade, so I think this is important in China's development, socially and personally.

Sexual orientation is like having a favorite flavor of ice cream. Every society has things and events they celebrate as a nation, the subjective or national or 'normal' morality of such a personal expression shouldn't be a reason for limitation - and it isn't, which is good.

The event shows that the Chinese people are moving forward, becoming more open-minded and accepting. They are now doing things, such as holding a gay festival that the Western world has been doing for decades. It's a difficult area in every country, even in the UK and the US where gay people are accepted.

For example, in the US they are still struggling to make civil partnerships happen. The UK has taken enormous steps. First they allowed legal partnerships, but they still didn't have the same recognition as a heterosexual marriage.

I think each year it will get better and brighter and gain more recognition and popularity. In the UK, it's fun because heterosexuals go along to the festivals and enjoy themselves, and this shows that they support the gay community."