Ying Xin is the Program Manager for the Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School. In this role, she works to support LGBTQI+ leaders worldwide and advocate for the dignity and well-being of LGBTQI+ individuals, particularly in underrepresented and under-resourced regions. As a proud pansexual feminist, Ying is deeply committed to advancing gender equality and diversity, and she actively promotes cross-sector collaborations addressing LGBTQI+ inclusion, disability rights, and mental health on an international scale.
Before joining Harvard Kennedy School for her Master's in Public Administration, Ying served as the Director of the Beijing LGBT Center for a decade. In this capacity, she collaborated with organizations, media, and mental health professionals to raise awareness of the harmful practice of gay conversion therapy in China. Her advocacy helped reshape China’s mental health landscape, with mental health professionals increasingly identifying as LGBTIQ-affirmative therapists—marking a significant cultural and institutional shift towards greater inclusivity for LGBTQI+ individuals.
Ying also led the largest LGBT living survey in China in 2016, in partnership with UNDP, which has been extensively cited by media outlets and academic research. In 2017, she spearheaded the first-ever transgender survey in China, with findings published in The Lancet, in collaboration with transgender-friendly doctors and researchers. Additionally, she pioneered the first National LGBTIQ-affirmative therapist training program in China, which has since trained over 3,000 mental health professionals across more than 30 cities. Her expertise spans research, policy advocacy, program management, and cross-sector partnerships, with a focus on social impact, public health, and improving services for marginalized communities.
As the Founder & CEO of Life Ease Health, a social enterprise, Ying introduced China’s first LGBTIQ-focused mental health online platform, providing affirming support for sexual and gender minorities.
From 2012 to 2015, Ying was involved in theater projects addressing gender issues, including The Vagina Monologues in Wuhan, and co-curated the China Women Film Festival. She also has experience in independent film, having played supporting roles in several productions. Ying holds a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, where she served as co-chair of the Women and Power caucus and as an Equity Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership. Ying also holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Public Administration from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and in Japanese Language and Literature from Huazhong University of Science and Technology.