CHINA / SOCIETY
Chinese website under fire for misinterpreting Oscar winner’s ‘gay man’ speech
Published: Feb 26, 2019 03:38 PM

A screenshot of mgtv.com

A Chinese online broadcast of the Oscars triggered heated debate for translating "gay man" into "special group" in the post-added Chinese subtitles. 

The subtitled broadcast was posted by mgtv.com, a website linked to popular Chinese broadcaster Hunan TV on Monday. 

"I think to anyone struggling… we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life just unapologetically himself," best actor winner Rami Malek said in his acceptance speech on stage.

However, mgtv.com avoided the term "gay man" and translated it into "special group."

A screenshot of Rami Malek with the Chinese subtitled sentence was posted on Sina Weibo, drawing an immediate reaction. The post was forwarded more than 12,000 times with 2,200 comments as of press time.

"This is not mgtv's first time," a netizen commented. "What are you afraid of?" another posted.

However, some other web users showed understanding to mgtv.com.

"Is 'special' a very bad word? Do not overanalyze it," a netizen commented.

In May 2018, mgtv.com was stripped of its right to broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest after it was found to have removed two songs, including one that described a gay relationship, during broadcast and blurred rainbow flags in the crowd.

Malek's portrayal of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury - a victim of the AIDS epidemic in the days when homosexuality was taboo in rock and roll - earned him the best actor award.

Global Times