The Study of the Exercise of Citizenship of Non-heterosexuals in Hong Kong

• In Event: 598 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtable Session.
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 04. Sexualities and Gender

Abstract

This study is concerned with the exercise of rights claim of non-heterosexuals in Hong Kong. Since there are only few research works which focus on non-heterosexuals’ rights and how they have been ignored by the mainstream society in Hong Kong, this study is to examine how the institutionalization of heterosexuality shape the decisions on the exercise of rights claim of non-heterosexuals. This study is designed as a qualitative research. Case study method has been used. A total of 16 non-heterosexuals were invited to participate in the in-depth interview. The data were drawn from eight female and eight male Chinese non-heterosexuals.

For both theoretical discussion and practice, this study helps to expand the concept of citizenship to sexual dimension in Hong Kong local contexts. Since the notion of sexual citizenship has been mainly developed under western social contexts, this study helps to extend the present discussion and analysis of sexual citizenship beyond ethnocentric limitation. Based on the context of Hong Kong, this study helps to expand the discussion of sexual citizenship across different societies.

Author

• KA KI CHAN, Hong Kong Baptist University