BEIING – They were members of a modern-day swingers’ club in China, where people met online and then gathered in homes or hotels for group sex parties involving dozens of men and women.
In April, Ma Yaohai, a 53-year-old college professor and 21 others went on trial in the south eastern city of Nanjing, accused of ‘group licentiousness’ – the first time anyone has been charged under a 1997 law in a case that has snagged huge public interest with its titillating details.
But aside from rampant curiosity in the swinger lifestyle, the uproar also has touched off a deeper debate about sexual freedom in a nation that is trying to reshape its own modern morality.
Ma said his decision to join the swingers was voluntary. ‘Marriage is like water. You have to drink it. Swinging is like a cup of wine. You can drink it if you like. If you don’t like it, don’t drink it,’ he said in interviews with Chinese media.
In arguing that his activities involved consenting adults meeting in non-public places, Ma’s defiance seemed to strike a chord in an era of relative sexual freedom, where extramarital affairs and prostitution are common – drawing support from those who believe the Chinese government should stay out of the bedroom.
Entering the court at the start of the two-day trial on April 7, he blurted out: ‘How can I disturb social order? What happens in my house is a private matter.’
A verdict on Ma, the only member to plead innocent, is expected today from the Qinhuai District People’s Court in Nanjing, said his attorney, Yao Yongan. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. – Nampa-AP
