Both academia and international media reports have depicted a low level of acceptance towards homosexuals in China. However, some gay male individuals have taken leadership roles in corporate sector of China, although their sexual orientation is not accepted by the mainstream of society and they may choose to hide it in the workplace. Exploring their experience is important for understanding the leadership of people with less visible but biased characteristics, specifically homosexual individuals. However, limited literature shed light on this topic. To address this gap, this study explores the lived experience of gay male leaders in the Chinese corporate sector through semistructured interviews with 16 participants from companies in various regions and with different ownership structures. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the interview data. The findings reveal three interconnected actions taken by gay male leaders in corporate sector of China to maintain self-integration and achieve better leadership performance, and three patterns in conducting these actions. This study makes important contributions to diversified leadership research by providing detailed insights into the feelings, attitudes, and behaviours of gay male leaders. Moreover, it provides strategies and real experiences of gay men’s career development for Chinese gay male individuals who seek career advancement.