# Edison Fan

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{{Short description|Chinese New Zealand model and entrepreneur}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Edison Fan
| image              = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| native_name        = {{nobold|樊野}}
| native_name_lang   = zh
| pronunciation      = 
| other_names        = Fan Ye ({{lang|zh|樊野}}), RMIUC
| birth_name         = Fan Hua ({{lang|zh|樊离花}})
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1982|11|1}}
| birth_place        = [Nanjing](/source/Nanjing), China
| citizenship        = New Zealand
| occupation         = {{hlist|Model|actor|entrepreneur|civil engineer}}
| years_active       = 2011–present
| height             = {{height|m=1.81}}<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Edison Fan |url=https://www.collaborate.co.nz/artists/view/Edison_Fan |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=www.collaborate.co.nz |language=en}}</ref>
| spouse             = {{marriage|Josh Taylor|2012-10-27|2015-02|end=div}}
| children           = Frederic Y. Fan
| website            = 
}}

'''Edison Ye Fan{{efn|{{lang-zh|t=樊野|link=no}}}}''' (born '''Hua Fan''';{{efn|{{lang-zh|t=樊离花|link=no}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-15 |title=后宫离花传 {{!}} RMIUC从十八线深柜男孩到名媛一姐的故事 |trans-title=The Story of the Flower in the Harem {{!}} RMIUC's Story of a Closeted Boy from an 18th-tier Line to a Celebrity |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/128982112_544020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914130615/https://www.sohu.com/a/128982112_544020 |archive-date=2024-09-14 |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=www.sohu.com |language=zh}}</ref>}} November 1, 1982) is a [Chinese New Zealand](/source/Chinese_New_Zealanders) model, internet personality, and entrepreneur. He is one of China's biggest openly gay [influencers](/source/Internet_celebrity), with more than 1 million followers on [Weibo](/source/Weibo) and more than 700,000 followers on [Instagram](/source/Instagram).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Ying |date=2016-04-09 |title=A Chinese social media heartthrob from New Zealand |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016-04/09/content_24392782.htm |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=China Daily}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendoza |first=Kenn Anthony |date=2020-07-14 |title=Why Edison Fan – Chinese influencer, gay model and LGBT advocate – is so much more than just a pretty face |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3093050/why-edison-fan-chinese-influencer-gay-model-and-lgbt |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-07 |title=EDGE Rewind: Watch: Out Chinese Social Media Influencer Edison Fan Celebrates 40th Birthday |url=https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/320372 |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=EDGE Media Network |language=en}}</ref>

== Early and personal life ==
Fan was born in Nanjing, China, and moved to New Zealand as a teenager.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=William |date=2016-03-02 |title=#HISSTYLESNAPS: Edison Fan, New Zealand |url=https://hisstylediarys.com/edison_fan_his_style_snaps.html |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=His Style Diary |language=en-US}}</ref> During his childhood, he enjoyed learning traditional Chinese painting and ballet; but his parents, both of whom are doctors, preferred that he studied science.<ref name=":0" /> He graduated from the [University of Auckland](/source/University_of_Auckland) with a degree in civil engineering.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-19 |title=第一代著名海外网红 “男神” Edison 樊野 |trans-title=The first generation of famous overseas internet celebrity "male god" Edison Fan Ye |url=https://moses-media.com/%E7%AC%AC%E4%B8%80%E4%BB%A3%E8%91%97%E5%90%8D%E6%B5%B7%E5%A4%96%E7%BD%91%E7%BA%A2-%E7%94%B7%E7%A5%9E-edison-%E6%A8%8A%E9%87%8E/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Moses Media |language=zh}}</ref>

After moving to New Zealand, watching [Ellen DeGeneres](/source/Ellen_DeGeneres)' [stand-ups](/source/Stand-up_comedy) gave him confidence about his sexual orientation;<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Rahmel R. |date=2022-11-07 |title=The Entrepreneur And Sexy Social Media Tease Is Living His Best Life |url=https://instinctmagazine.com/the-entrepreneur-and-sexy-social-media-tease-is-living-his-best-life/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Instinct Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> and he eventually [came out](/source/Coming_out) to his family at the age of 22.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendoza |first=Kenn Anthony |date=2020-07-14 |title=5 things about Edison Fan, Chinese LGBTQ+ influencer and gay model |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3093050/why-edison-fan-chinese-influencer-gay-model-and-lgbt |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> 

Fan married{{efn|name=josh&eddie|Since 2005, New Zealand's law has allowed homosexual couples to enter into partnerships through [civil unions](/source/Civil_union_in_New_Zealand) and hold a "commitment ceremony" similar to a wedding. [Same-sex marriage in New Zealand](/source/Same-sex_marriage_in_New_Zealand) was legalised in August 2013.|group=note}} his British boyfriend Josh Taylor in October 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-10-31 |title=新西兰华裔男模樊华Edison与男友结婚_娱乐_彩虹看台_心同网 |trans-title=New Zealand Chinese male model Fan Hua Edison marries his boyfriend |url=https://www.1314xt.com/news/yule/20133.html |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=www.1314xt.com |language=zh}}</ref> They had met in June 2011, and decided to get married after 6 months of knowing each other.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-01-18 |title=华裔Gay模特樊华网络晒幸福 将与帅男友结婚(组图) |trans-title=Chinese gay model Fan Hua shows off his happiness online and plans to marry his handsome boyfriend (Photos) |url=http://www.danlan.org/disparticle_38606.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121033751/http://www.danlan.org/disparticle_38606.htm |archive-date=2012-01-21 |website=danlan.org |language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2014-03-09 |title=ẢNH ĐẸP: CẶP ĐÔI ĐỒNG TÍNH NAM hot nhất châu Á, Edison Fan |trans-title=Sweet pictures of Asia's hottest gay couple |url=https://kenh14.vn/doi-song/nhung-hinh-anh-ngot-ngao-cua-cap-doi-dong-tinh-nam-hot-nhat-chau-a-20140309011632816.chn |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=[kenh14.vn](/source/K%C3%AAnh_14_(website)) |language=vi}}</ref> They were featured on the cover of ''[Element Magazine](/source/Element_Magazine)'' #6 - The Love Issue (Feb/Mar 2014).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.pubu.com.tw/magazine/element-magazine-6-the-love-issue-110768 |title=Element Magazine #6 - The Love Issue |date=February 2014 |publisher=Element Magazine |language= |via=Pubu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Cover of Element with Josh Tayler, Edison Fanye, February 2014 (ID:61917){{!}} Magazines {{!}} The FMD |url=https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/magazines/element/covers/february-2014/josh-tayler-edison-fanye-61917/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=FashionModelDirectory.com}}</ref> The couple got divorced in February 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-26 |title=姜思达和樊野什么关系？姜思达和樊野是一对吗？ - 问剧 |trans-title=What is the relationship between Jiang Sida and Fan Ye? Are Jiang Sida and Fan Ye a couple? |url=https://www.wenjutv.com/article/1367 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028092815/https://www.wenjutv.com/article/1367 |archive-date=2019-10-28 |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=www.wenjutv.com |language=zh}}</ref>

Fan has a mixed-race son,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tao |first=Han |date=2024-09-02 |title=Good deeds or exploitation?: Queer parents working for private assisted reproductive technologies companies in urban China |journal=Journal of Lesbian Studies |volume=28 |issue=4 |language=en |pages=656–668 |doi=10.1080/10894160.2024.2382575 |pmid=39219405 |issn=1089-4160|doi-access=free }}</ref> who was born via [surrogacy](/source/surrogacy) in November 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-01 |title=新晋奶爸樊野活着就是我最真实的样子 |trans-title=The new baby daddy, Fan Ye, is living in truest form |url=https://www.pressreader.com/china/elle-men/20181101/283214444230584?srsltid=AfmBOopWWOHrsS9OgIUi6qxE0xgxT_XpWUxOTZRbZjuMs1jYp4B0QAHA |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=ELLE Men |language=zh |via=PressReader}}</ref> In June 2024, Edison got engaged to Korean model Huyve Seo (also known as Rob Seo) in Paris.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joseph |first=Andrea Marks |date=2024-06-30 |title=InstaQueer: Slayful Models, Paris Engagements, and Karamo & Mario Lopez Match Each Other's Freak! |url=https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/334152/1 |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=EDGE Media Network |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==
While in university, Fan signed part-time to a local modeling agency after being inspired by the show ''[America's Next Top Model](/source/America's_Next_Top_Model)''. After graduating, he worked as a civil engineer for many years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tan |first=William |date=2016-03-02 |title=#HISSTYLESNAPS: Edison Fan, New Zealand |url=https://hisstylediarys.com/edison_fan_his_style_snaps.html |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=His Style Diary |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2012, he began to achieve Internet fame on Chinese social media after posting [selfies](/source/Selfie) and [vlogs](/source/Vlog). In October 2014, he was contacted to be one of the fashion judges on ''[I Supermodel](/source/I_Supermodel_season_1)'', and he got to be a guest judge for six episodes. After this opportunity, he moved to China in March 2015, as that is where most of his [fanbase](/source/Fandom) was. In the same year he appeared in the debate [variety show](/source/variety_show), [''U Can U Bibi''](/source/I_Can_I_BB) (''Qi Pa Shuo''). In the episode discussing whether gay men and lesbians should come out to their parents, he shared his coming out story.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zhou |first=Oscar Tianyang |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YgevEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Edison+Fan%22&pg=PA174 |title=Queer TV China: Televisual and Fannish Imaginaries of Gender, Sexuality, and Chineseness |date=2023-02-16 |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |isbn=978-988-8805-61-7 |editor-last=Zhao |editor-first=Jamie J. |pages=161–176 |language=en |chapter=Gay Men in/and ''Kangsi Coming''}}</ref> His popularity from the show led to gigs in [Chinese dramas](/source/Chinese_television_drama) and movies in the following years.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Lu |first=Fei |date=2019-06-11 |title=How This Openly Gay Influencer and Entrepreneur Is Navigating China |url=https://www.papermag.com/edison-fan-china-lgbtq-influencer |website=Paper}}</ref> 

As a model, he did a [photo shoot](/source/photo_shoot) for ''Charlie by Matthew Zink'' in January 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-09 |title=Manhunt Daily Wood: Edison Fan Is Serving PURE SEX In A Bath Tub |url=https://www.manhuntdaily.com/manhunt-daily-wood-edison-fan-is-serving-pure-sex-in-a-bath-tub/ |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Manhunt Daily |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bence |first=Gyulai |date=2015-01-28 |title=Íme valami, amiből Kínában még nincs sorozatgyártás |trans-title=Here is something that is not yet mass produced in China |url=https://velvet.hu/kockahas/2015/01/28/van_valami_amibol_kinaban_meg_nincs_sorozatgyartas |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Velvet |language=hu}}</ref> and was featured in the August 2015 issue of ''Male Model Scene'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2015-07-31 |title=Edison Fan by Karim Konrad for MALE MODEL SCENE + Exclusive Interview |url=https://www.malemodelscene.net/exclusive/edison-fan-karim-konrad/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Male Model Scene |language=en-US}}</ref> He was also featured on ''Style'' by [SCMP](/source/South_China_Morning_Post) in July 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Neveling |first=Andre |date=2020-07-17 |title=Korea’s Kim Soo-hyun, China’s Edison Fan, India’s Jai Anshul: 3 Asian hunks making headlines on STYLE this week |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3093599/koreas-kim-soo-hyun-chinas-edison-fan-indias-jai-anshul-3 |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> He has modeled for [Tom Ford](/source/Tom_Ford_(brand)), [Diesel](/source/Diesel_(company)), [Calvin Klein](/source/Calvin_Klein_(fashion_house)), and [Schwarzkopf](/source/Henkel).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-19 |title=名媛樊野拍了Tom Ford的软宣，他的公关厉害极了！ |trans-title=Socialite Fan Ye shot a soft promotion for Tom Ford, his public relations is amazing! |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/193125856_544020 |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=www.sohu.com |language=zh}}</ref>

In 2016, Fan was approached by a Chinese company to design menswear, but citing too much competition he convinced them to do sportswear, and subsequently OMG (On My Game) Sportswear was launched.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2020-01-18 |title=Dare to wear? Swimwear and underwear targeting gay men |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3046580/swimwear-and-underwear-targeting-gay-men-gets-boost-asia |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> After a conversation with an [agent](/source/Talent_agent) who told Fan to stop posting "sexy pictures" because luxury brands won't sponsor him and he'd end up only selling [Speedos](/source/Speedos) and underwear, he got the idea of founding U-Touch Underwear,<ref name=":1" /> which was launched in July 2019 targeting gay men.<ref name=":4" /> 

== Public image ==

Fan used the moniker "RMIUC", short for "rape me if you can", drawing inspiration from the movie ''[Catch Me If You Can](/source/Catch_Me_If_You_Can)''. He clarified that it refers to the stand taken by unfearing minds against rape, but his fans tended to read this in a more sexually suggestive way.  RMIUC, called ''R da'' ("Master R") by his fans, had a channel named ''Master R's Channel'' on [Tudou](/source/Tudou); and it had a video series called ''The Josh & Eddie Show'' with his then boyfriend Josh Taylor. The most well-known video in the series was ''The Josh & Eddie Show—Ep13—20 Days to Go'', which quickly went [viral](/source/Viral_video) after it was posted days before their wedding in October 2012.<ref>{{Citation |last=Zhou |first=Oscar Tianyang |title="Chinese Top, British Bottom": Becoming a Gay Male Internet Celebrity in China |date=2019-10-31 |pages=79–95 |editor-last=EGUCHI |editor-first=S. |url=https://kar.kent.ac.uk/97632/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |language=en |isbn=978-1-5381-2140-5 |editor2-last=CALAFELL |editor2-first=B.}}</ref>

Oscar Tianyang Zhou's paper ''"Chinese Top, British Bottom": Becoming a Gay Male Internet Celebrity in China'' (2019) discusses how the interracial relationship of RMIUC and J.T. was [discursively](/source/Discourse) constructed as "Chinese top, British bottom" among the Chinese [BL fandom](/source/Boys'_love_fandom)— as opposed to the stereotypical pattern of dominant [White](/source/White_people) [top](/source/Gay_sex_roles) vs submissive Chinese [bottom](/source/Gay_sex_roles)— which transformed RMIUC into a masculinist and nationalistic gay icon.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zhou |first=Tianyang |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348230394 |title=Queer Intercultural Communication: The Intersectional Politics of Belonging in and across Differences |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2019 |pages=79–95 |chapter="Chinese Top, British Bottom": Becoming a Gay Male Internet Celebrity in China}}</ref>

As one of China's few openly gay public figures, Fan has been criticised by his Chinese fans for not speaking out about the LGBTQ+ community enough. He was also met with backlash when he voiced his support for [BLM](/source/Black_Lives_Matter) in 2020; some criticised him for only doing the bare minimum, while others attacked him for not speaking out on other issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-09-22 |title=Out Of The Closet: Edison Fan Shares His Story |url=https://dearstraightpeople.com/2020/09/23/edison-fan-story/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Dear Straight People |language=en-US}}</ref>  According to him, he does feel compelled to speak up on important things, but sometimes he just doesn't have "anything inspirational to say."<ref name=":3" />

Fan, who was a finalist in the LGBTQ+ Account category at the [12th Annual Shorty Awards](/source/12th_Shorty_Awards),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edison Fan - The Shorty Awards |url=https://shortyawards.com/12th/edisonfanr |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=shortyawards.com}}</ref> had said in an interview, "We all have our ways of supporting the community, and I do it through showcasing my life candidly."<ref name=":1" />

== Bibliography ==

* ''To Be Continued'' (2012),<ref>{{Cite book |last=RMIUC艾迪生 |url=https://book.douban.com/subject/20283977/ |title=待续 |date=2012-10-17 |isbn=978-0-473-22535-3 |language=zh |trans-title=to be continued}}</ref> Fan's autobiography
* ''Love/The Play'' (2013),<ref>{{Cite book |last1=樊野 |url=https://book.douban.com/subject/25724443/ |title=恋/脚本 |last2=RMIUC |date=August 2013 |publisher=江苏文艺出版社 |isbn=978-7-5399-6428-7 |language=zh |trans-title=LOVE THE PLAY}}</ref> a romance novel

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.modelmayhem.com/edisonfan Edison Fan] at [Model Mayhem](/source/Internet_Brands)
* {{weibo|rapemeifucan}}
* {{instagram|edisonfanye}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fan, Edison}}
Category:1982 births
Category:21st-century Chinese LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century New Zealand LGBTQ people
Category:Chinese gay men
Category:Chinese Internet celebrities
Category:Chinese models
Category:Gay models
Category:Living people
Category:Masculists
Category:New Zealand LGBTQ models

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edison Fan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_Fan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_Fan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.