Queer Comrades: Gay Identity and Tongzhi Activism in Postsocialist China by Hongwei Bao

Chinese Lesbian and Gay Adults’ Self-Reported Experiences of Negative Treatment and Violence From Family of Origin: Evidence From a Larger-Scale Study in China

“…Qualitative research has found that lesbian and gay Chinese people who failed to live up to the parental expectations of getting married and having children fall victim to domestic violence, in the forms of physical punishment, disownment, and physical and financial restrictions (Bao, 2018;Engebretsen, 2015;Hu & Wang, 2013;Kam, 2013). Some parents even forced their lesbian, gay and bisexual children to receive conversion therapy, in order to "cure" their homosexuality .…”

The interplay between intimacy and commodification: Queer agency and vulnerability amid neoliberalism with Chinese characteristics

“…Two important forces behind the rise of the market in shaping Chinese queer experiences -the neoliberal and yet authoritarian style of governance and the expansion of the pink market -are worth discussing here. Firstly, it is important to understand that the Chinese government has actively implemented neoliberal governance since 1978 by encouraging a more flexible market in the country, but, simultaneously, it has shown no signs of faltering in its authoritarian rule (Bao, 2018;Harvey, 2005). This mode of neoliberal governance with 'Chinese characteristics' (Harvey, 2005, p. 20) has had a significant impact on both selfhood and queer desires (Kong, 2017;Lin et al, 2017;Rofel, 2007).…”

“…Over the past two decades, a growing number of Chinese queer studies have engaged in critiques of established social categories, especially family, kinship, and other cultural traditions, and have explored the reciprocal relationship between political economy and sexuality in China (Engebretsen, 2014;Wong, 2020). Since the beginning of the reform era (from 1978 to the present), while sex has become less of a taboo topic, the Chinese government still plays a pivotal role in governing gender, sexual, and family norms, including its suppression of same-sex desires and relationships (Bao, 2018). Although homosexuality per se has never been criminalised in China, it was defined as a sexual disorder in the first version of the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders, which was followed from 1978 to 2001.…”

“…Consequently, many gay men and a few women were arrested, imprisoned, or subjected to political re-education as punishment (Kong, 2016). China's opening up to the global market in 1978 is generally seen as a watershed in Chinese history and among scholars studying Chinese queer identities, practices, and relationships (Bao, 2018). Although Chinese same-sex couples continue to be denied access to marriage, adoption, or the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), it is generally believed that the reform has opened up new spaces for the exploration of queer subjectivities and the development of (online and offline) queer communities (Lo, 2022a).…”

Visual methods in family and sexuality research: Picturing the everyday, the imaginary, and the void

“…As the political and cultural hub of China, Beijing represents a unique site for investigation into the dynamic processes and huge challenges of family-building among lalas. On the one hand, several key LGBTQ organisations have first become established in Beijing, the cultural hub of China, and have then extended their networks nationwide (Bao, 2018). In other words, lalas (and other sexual minority people) in Beijing can generally enjoy more opportunities to explore a vibrant queer community culture than their counterparts in smaller cities (Lo, 2022a).…”