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Navigating the Life of a Homosexual Couple in China A Case Study of Same-sex Marriage and Lesbian Grassroots Activism

Qiu, Qirong LU (2021) SIMV12 20211
Graduate School
Abstract
In contemporary China, society is dominated by heteronormativity. Sexual minorities are still in a precarious condition as a result of the ingrained sociofamilial norms and the gendered conventions of marriage. This investigation is designed as a case study, focusing on the life accounts of a Chinese homosexual couple and their online grassroots activism. Three theoretical concepts have been applied to this research: Firstly, I use Beck’s theory of individualization that was further developed by Yan, to analyze the multi-layered process of individualization in China. Secondly, Butler’s theory of gender performativity is adopted to understand the persistence of heteronormative values in China. Thirdly, I extend Mahmood’s theoretical... (More)
In contemporary China, society is dominated by heteronormativity. Sexual minorities are still in a precarious condition as a result of the ingrained sociofamilial norms and the gendered conventions of marriage. This investigation is designed as a case study, focusing on the life accounts of a Chinese homosexual couple and their online grassroots activism. Three theoretical concepts have been applied to this research: Firstly, I use Beck’s theory of individualization that was further developed by Yan, to analyze the multi-layered process of individualization in China. Secondly, Butler’s theory of gender performativity is adopted to understand the persistence of heteronormative values in China. Thirdly, I extend Mahmood’s theoretical construction of agency to a Chinese context, which can contribute to an understanding of the couple’s “subordination” to the hegemonic structure. The findings show that political and sociocultural conservatism has posed obstacles to the couple’s life, while the accelerated process of individualization has offered them opportunities to pursue their intimate relationship. By taking advantage of social media, the couple has built online solidarity and empowered others in various ways. The reception of their empowerment is different due to individuals’ distinct socioeconomic backgrounds. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Qiu, Qirong LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMV12 20211
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Same-sex marriage, homosexuality, empowerment, individualization
language
English
id
9050067
date added to LUP
2021-06-16 10:34:44
date last changed
2021-06-16 10:34:44
@misc{9050067,
  abstract     = {{In contemporary China, society is dominated by heteronormativity. Sexual minorities are still in a precarious condition as a result of the ingrained sociofamilial norms and the gendered conventions of marriage. This investigation is designed as a case study, focusing on the life accounts of a Chinese homosexual couple and their online grassroots activism. Three theoretical concepts have been applied to this research: Firstly, I use Beck’s theory of individualization that was further developed by Yan, to analyze the multi-layered process of individualization in China. Secondly, Butler’s theory of gender performativity is adopted to understand the persistence of heteronormative values in China. Thirdly, I extend Mahmood’s theoretical construction of agency to a Chinese context, which can contribute to an understanding of the couple’s “subordination” to the hegemonic structure. The findings show that political and sociocultural conservatism has posed obstacles to the couple’s life, while the accelerated process of individualization has offered them opportunities to pursue their intimate relationship. By taking advantage of social media, the couple has built online solidarity and empowered others in various ways. The reception of their empowerment is different due to individuals’ distinct socioeconomic backgrounds.}},
  author       = {{Qiu, Qirong}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Navigating the Life of a Homosexual Couple in China A Case Study of Same-sex Marriage and Lesbian Grassroots Activism}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}