“China’s gay men marry to have children and pass on the family name. There is an old saying in China which says the worst thing you can do to your parents is not to give them a grandchild.

The word comes from “ tongzhi“, or comrade, Chinese slang for “gay”, and “ qizi“, which means “wife” in Mandarin. Two years after her marriage collapsed, she still fears the exposure of her life as a former “ tongqi” – a new Mandarin word coined to describe straight women trapped in loveless and miserable unions to gay men. Xiao Yue asked that her real name not be used, also out of concern for her safety. “I remember the date perfectly, because I asked for divorce only 25 days after the wedding ceremony,” said the 30-something from the front seat of her car, which she deemed the safest place to talk. She knew marriage was a bumpy road, but she never expected hers to end within a month, after discovering she had tied the knot with a closeted gay man. Beijing, China – When Xiao Yue decided in October 2010 to marry her boyfriend, she imagined a life full of love, happiness and laughter.