This surprising ad by Alibaba’s e-commerce platform Tmall caught the attention and praise of LGBT allies and advocates around the web. While homosexuality is not illegal in China, it still faces “persistent discrimination and prejudices from the government and public,” cites CNN.
The video caught fire this week when it was posted on the Chinese social media website Weibo by LoveMatters, an organization that provides education and advice about sex and relationships. The clip quickly garnered some 7 million views, with over 100,000 likes and more than 5,000 comments that were overwhelmingly positive.
Alibaba stated to CNN, “Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion and inclusion, and the ad is a creative expression to celebrate such an occasion.” While Alibaba neither takes an explicit pro or anti-LGBT stance, audiences appreciate the inclusivity nonetheless. In 2015, Taobao, which is also owned by Alibaba, sponsored a contest to send gay couples from China to get married in California. The contest tagline was “As long as you have true love, Taobao will help you realize the dream.”
