Navigating Advocacy and Resilience: Strategic Advocacy Progression in a Chinese Lesbian Organization

Abstract Introduction This article introduces strategic advocacy progression to explain how a Chinese lesbian organization sustains advocacy despite restrictions, balancing adaptability with efforts for change. Methods Our first author conducted 10 months of fieldwork (August 2022–May 2023), using archival research and semi-structured interviews with 16 staff members, legal experts, and human rights activists to explore the lesbian organization’s advocacy strategies and challenges. Results Employing a multi-layered strategy, including an oral history project, direct legal support for survivors of gender-based violence, online events, and integration into mainstream initiatives, the lesbian organization engages in advocacy with tactical precision, remaining sensitive to political constraints. Conclusion Strategic advocacy progression advances the theory of visibility and invisibility in global LGBTQ + activism by offering a nuanced, context-sensitive strategy that navigates between confrontation and concealment. It also provides a useful lens for understanding the unique challenges faced by lesbian organizations within China’s broader LGBTQ + movement. Policy Implications Strategic advocacy progression provides an adaptable framework for LGBTQ + movements in restrictive environments, emphasizing a flexible continuum of visibility. For lesbian activism, this approach shifts the focus from symbolic legal victories to addressing everyday violence and discrimination within China’s legal constraints.