Guojun update in 2025/4/11
I have lived, stayed, and been observed in different places, while also observing others. A place is not merely a physical “where,” but more like an invisible climate—some soothe, some challenge. Places decide for me what clothes to wear, what words to say.
The location of Shenzhen (cgtn.com)
Futian CBD from Lianhuashan Park in 1998,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54461042
Futian CBD from Lianhuashan Park in 2018,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73410532
<aside> 🌈
According to the 2021 census data from Statistics Canada, 59,460 individuals aged 15 and older in Canada (approximately 0.19% of the population in that age group) self-identified as transgender. Based on this proportion and applying it to the data from China’s Seventh National Population Census (2021), the estimated number of potential transgender individuals aged 15 and above in China would be approximately 2,198,000.
</aside>
[**Shenzhen**](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenzhen>) is where I grew up, and theoretically, it is my home. It is a rapidly developing, emerging city. In my memory, the roads were always under expansion, and construction sites for new buildings and facilities filled the view. The city has vast mountains and forests, murky rivers, and a coastline like a stretch of muddy shoals. It is a quintessential immigrant city, where cultures are constantly blending and clashing. China’s household registration system imposes strict limits on interprovincial travel, work, and migration—but Shenzhen, born of the reform and opening-up era, has become a vital gateway for the movement of people across provinces. Although broader communication with the outside world is restricted, Shenzhen’s proximity to Hong Kong has given it an advantage. Through flourishing foreign trade, it has gradually become the economic heart of China.
https://www.sohu.com/a/204244406_161795
The fluidity of economy and population gives Shenzhen an air of flexibility and diversity, at least more so than many inland cities. At the level of language and consumption, one can observe a certain degree of coexistence between differences. Yet when it comes to gender perceptions and social values, traditional influences remain deeply rooted. The family structure is still regarded as the core of social stability, and children are largely expected to conform to conventional norms. Boys are to be rational, strong, and responsible; girls, gentle, reserved, and obedient. This gender order may not always be codified, but it permeates school education, public discourse, and even the language of everyday life.
Take Shenzhen’s school uniforms, for example—standardized and mandatory across the city. Though the styles for boys and girls appear nearly identical, there is a subtle difference in the buttons: boys have three, girls only two—symbolizing, in a way, ruggedness versus compliance. Hair length for boys is even factored into academic performance; if it exceeds the ears, it is deemed a violation. Without regular haircuts, students risk being summoned for disciplinary talks, facing punishments, or even suspension.
Among the doctors I’ve seen, some spoke in a roundabout way: “Being transgender is no longer considered an illness, but I don’t have the authority to prescribe you hormone therapy.”Some seemed confused, simply saying, “Get some rest, don’t think like that.” some questioned me directly: “Why would you even think this way?”
Under the scrutiny of school authorities and the strict expectations of parents, diverse gender expressions are not treated as topics open for discussion. In such a cultural climate, gender is not just a set of expected norms—it becomes part of the very social order the city upholds. Shenzhen is not a neutral space. *Place is socially constructed*—its meaning is not inherent, but produced through social relations, cultural values, and institutional structures.
The location in metro Vancouver (https://earth.google.com/）
[**Vancouver**](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District>) and Shenzhen are, in truth, separated only by an ocean. Here, demonstrations and NGOs are permitted, and comprehensive sex education helps people understand the existence of the LGBT+ community. There is more inclusiveness, more understanding—everything feels a little more open, a little more gentle. But for me, newly arrived, everything still felt foreign—an unfamiliar language, unfamiliar systems, unfamiliar ways of life. Perhaps due to the waves of immigration, there is a severe shortage of doctors in Greater Vancouver. I wandered from clinic to clinic through the early spring streets—nearly ten in total—before I finally met with a doctor.
Vancouver pride 2024 (Guojun)
Vancouver pride 2024 (Guojun)
“Haitu”Poster for the first event
My guide to transgender healthcare in Vancouver, which I posted on the Chinese-language Internet platform Red Note, went through several revisions before it was successful released.
In the late autumn of 2024, I stood by the coast and joined my first-ever Pride parade. The weather was beautiful. Davie Street was packed with people, all raising their flags and marching forward. That day, for the very first time in my life, I saw other trans people—outside of myself, in the real world. After the parade, we exchanged contacts. At first, we just met up at cafés every now and then, talking about things that felt too vulnerable to say elsewhere.
There was no fixed rhythm, no set topic—just being together made survival feel a little less heavy, a little more possible. Some time passed, and we decided to take it seriously. We gave our little gathering a name: [*haitu*](<https://linktr.ee/HaituVancouver?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeJw6NA-hlELDkCJtoeI1Mva2AoYH0RUyeW9dQxfCji3dck68zzE2gxRlthAA_aem_T4V9IO95PkwFAh7ijT0BCw>)— a sea hare, a soft-bodied creature that lives freely despite its lack of a shell. It doesn’t belong to the cruel human world. It has no gender.
Preparing for the third event for “Haitu” （Guojun )
A local NGO, [Qmunity](<https://qmunity.ca/>), heard about us and kindly offered us a space to meet—free of charge. From that moment on, we began to organize regular gatherings, slowly and steadily carving out a small space of our own within this city. Vancouver began to take on a deeper meaning for me. What I feel for this place doesn't come from its scenery or geography, but from those moments—when we met each other, truly saw one another, and offered support. The city is no longer just where I live. It has become a part of my identity, a part of my life.
The location of grover beach, comper to others access point during road trip(https://www.google.com/maps)
[Grover Beach](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Beach,_California>) is a quiet, unassuming stretch of coastline in central California, open to the public as part of a state park. When I was driving through the American West last December, the sun was warm, the air mild, and the day felt perfectly calm. Yet compared to the bright lights of LA and San Francisco, this peaceful little town felt understated, its streets wide and still, with few tourists in sight. Perhaps it was this quietness that drew my attention to a roadside sign that read: “Vehicles allowed on the beach.” Without giving it much thought, I veered off the paved road and onto the sand.
According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Grover Beach is part of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), located in central California. It is the only coastal park in the state where motor vehicles are legally allowed to enter designated sand dune areas. Visitors can drive off-road or regular vehicles along the beach. The area is known for its shifting dune landscapes and is also carefully protected to maintain a balance between recreation and natural ecology.