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A few weeks ago I took a trip to the eastern side of Beijing to an area called Choyang. This part of the city is full of skate shops, fashion boutiques and

buildings under construction.

Of course, there's always construction in Beijing.

I was there to visit the office of Blueard, a hugely popular social network for gay men, and to meet the founder Gungle. In person he's

a bit surprising. He's 41 he's got a close-cropped haircut wearing a Nike

branded Just Doit t-shirt and dark navy blue sweat pants.

He really does not look like a tech bro or an LGBT icon.

If anything he reminds me a bit of my suburban uncle.

Gungla is probably the most famous gay man in China now.

But not that long ago, he wasn't openly gay.

He was a police officer, married to a woman.

So yes, Gungla is definitely surprising. In China, gay

rights are non-existent and under President Xi Jinping there's been a crackdown on

...