Challenging sex taboos

"Until today, the mainstream attitude toward homosexuality is still it is a disease that needs treatment," Fang says.

Fang was intrigued by the news and he went to the organizer of the forum who introduced him to the homosexual community in Beijing.

"At that time, you could find homosexuals in two places in Beijing, psychological clinics and the toilets in Dongdan Park.," Fang says.

Fang was amazed by their open attitudes toward sex.

"I was rocked by how openly they would talk about sex. It's not about the topic itself, but the way it was talked about, the beauty of the courage to challenge the taboos," Fang says.

Based on his interviews, Fang wrote several long reports saying homosexuals are our brothers and sisters.

"I also wrote my first book, Homosexuality in China. I always wanted to become a writer. At 25, my viewpoint of the world, my values had changed tremendously," he says.

Homosexuality was just the starting point. Fang later thought more about sexual plurality and wrote more articles and books in his 10-year career as a reporter and editor. In 2002, Fang decided to go back to school to study sexology with sexologist Pan Suiming at Renmin University.