GRSJ224/Queerness and China
Queer, a crucial social element in recent years, represents a notion of the western view of sexuality and connects with the question of gender. It is interesting to have a discussion about the intersection of queer and China. It is also challenging to explore what queers face now and their future in China.
Queer
Difference between gender and sexuality
Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to and differentiating between, masculinity and feminity. Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders[1]; those who exist outside these groups fell under the umbrella term non-binary or genderqueer[2].
Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually[3]. Someone's sexual orientation is their pattern of sexual interest in the opposite or same-sex. Heterosexuality is sexual attraction or sexual behaviour between persons of the opposite gender[4]. Someone who is heterosexual is also referred to as straight.
What is queer?
Definition
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual. Within the queer theory, the term can be understood as three meanings: an umbrella term, transgressive action and erasing boundaries. Some famous scholars on queer theory are Michel Foucault, Gayle Rubin, and Judith Butler. Queer theory poses challenges to the idea that gender is part of the essential self and starts to exam the socially constructed nature of sexual acts and identities.[5]
History
Queer originally means "strange", and was used pejoratively against same-sex relationships in the late 19th century.
Began in the 1980s, queer was used as a deliberately provocative and politically radical word.
From the 2000s, queer was used to describe a broad spectrum of non-normative sexual and gender identities and politics.[6]
LGBT group and queer?
The term LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The initialism LGBT is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures. To also refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual, rather than exclusively to LGBT people, the letter Q, for those who identify as queer or questions about their sexual identity, adds to this term.[7]
China
Queer is always the minority in China and they get pressure from their family, society and some refrain from the government. Due to the permanent influence of classical Confucianism in China, queerness is considered abnormal behaviour. Their parents believe that their children have psychological diseases and should be educated. The effective approaches for homosexuals to speak out are always be suppressed by the Network Supervision Bureau. Under those multiple pressure, what’s the future for the queer group and what should they do?
Why China?
Confucianism
Confucianism is a system of thought and behaviour originating in ancient China. Confucianism emphasizes on the importance of family and social harmony, rather than spiritual values. Traditionally, Chinese culture is strongly influenced by Confucianism, and this influence persists until now.[8] In Confucian philosophy, filial piety is a virtue of respect for one's parents and ancestors. The relationship between parents and children is the most fundamental part of filial piety. Filial piety is central to Confucian role ethics. Filial Piety means to be good to parents, to take care of them, engage in good conduct both in-home and outside, be polite and be well-mannered, to show love, respect and support, and most importantly, to ensure male heirs.[9]
Family Reaction
“Traditional Chinese culture emphasizes the importance of continuing family lines, and a child’s first duty is understood to be providing his parents with a grandchild. "[10]
In Chinese tradition, even till today, only male children can inherit the family name and hand it down to generations. In the new era, when the children want to break the rule and live his own life, they will receive strong oppositions and acrid criticism from their parents. Because Chinese people have stuck to conventions of filial piety for so long time, and they feel insecure when their children want to jump out of the vicious circle. Pressure from parents always brings the heaviest agony to children.
“My parents felt like it was the end of the world and that their life was now hopeless as their goal of working hard for so many years was to earn enough money for me to get married and raise a child of my own.” -- A salesman who lives in Hubei, China[11]
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is contracted for reasons other than that of the relationship of love, and this kind of marriage is usually for personal gain and strategic purpose. After the marriage, they will not live together as a couple. Hiding one's sexuality is also a common reason for having a marriage of convenience. Such marriages may have one heterosexual and one gay partner, or two gay partners. Marriage of convenience is conducted often in a country with the absence of marriage equality. In China, some LGBTQ people use the marriage of convenience to hide their sexuality from their parents.
Social opinion
Some Chinese people still use coloured-glasses to see the LGBTQ group and consider them rebellious. They also do not want LGBTQ people to engage in their lives and believe LGBTQ people have some psychological diseases. When they see LGBTQ activities happen, they do not support and will tell their children not to follow the trends.
Government Reaction
Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997 and removed from China’s official list of mental illnesses in 2001. Since then, homosexuality in China has been treated with an approach informally known as “the three not's”: not approved, not disapproved, not promoted.
The general administration of press and publication published that “If the following contents or circumstances are included in the online audio-visual program, they shall be cut and deleted. This includes performance and display of abnormal sexual relations and sexual behaviours, such as incest, homosexuality, sexual perversion, sexual abuse and sexual violence.”[12]
In July 2017, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) conference in the western city of Chengdu was called off after the venue cancelled the booking citing conflicting events. Lesbian dating app Rela was also shut down last May. No official explanation for the shutdown has been given by Chinese authorities. [13]
Same-sex marriage in law
Same-sex marriage is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender, entered into a civil or religious ceremony. The most prominent supporters of same-sex marriage are human rights and civil rights organizations, while the most prominent opponents are religious fundamentalist groups. LGBTQ group in China strives for legalizing same-sex marriage.
The Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China, adopted at the third session of the Fifth National People's Congress on September 10, 1980, defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.[14]
In October 2017, the National People's Congress amended Chinese law that permits same-sex partners to make important decisions about medical and personal care, death and funeral, property management, and maintenance of rights and interests.[15]
LGBT rights in Taiwan are regarded as the most progressive in East Asia and Asia in general.[16] Both male and female same-sex sexual activities are legal, and same-sex marriage was legalized on 24 May 2019, following a Constitutional Court ruling in May 2017.
- ↑ Udry, J. Richard (November 1994). The Nature of Gender. Demography. pp. 561–573.
- ↑ Kevin L. Nadal (2017). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender. p. 401. ISBN 1483384276.
- ↑ Cavendish, Marshall (2010). Sex and Society. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-7614-7907-9.
- ↑ "Sexual orientation, homosexuality and bisexuality". American Psychological Association.
- ↑ Cheng, Patrick (2013). Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality, and Spirit. New York: Seabury Books. p. 4. ISBN 9781596272415.
- ↑ Queer Nation (June 1990) http://www.qrd.org/qrd/misc/text/queers.read.this
- ↑ Petrow, Steven. "Civilities, What does the acronym LGBTQ stand for?". Washington Post.
- ↑ Yao, Xinzhong. An Introduction to Confucianism. Cambridge University Press. pp. 38–47. ISBN 978-0-521-64312-2.
- ↑ Kwan, K.L.K. (2000). "Counselling Chinese peoples: Perspectives of Filial Piety". Asian Journal of Counseling. 7(1): 23–41.
- ↑ Minter, Adam (April 23, 2018). "What would Confucius say about gay marriage". The Japan Times.
- ↑ Yan, Alice. "Why China's gays and lesbians are still stuck in the closet". South China Morning Post.
- ↑ http://www.xinhuanet.com/zgjx/2017-07/01/c_136409024.htm
- ↑ Bach, Natasha. "China's LGBT Community Staged a Massive Protest Against an Online Ban of Gay Content And Won". Fortune. line feed character in
|title=at position 78 (help) - ↑ Jeffreys, Elaine (2013). "The rise of Chinese-foreign marriage in mainland China, 1979–2010". China Information. 27(3): 347–349.
- ↑ Cui, Fandi (Aug 12, 2019). "Beijing Approves Mutual Guardianship for Gay Couple". Sixth Tone.
- ↑ Steger, Isabella (May 17, 2019). "In a first for Asia, Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage—with caveats". Quartz.