Self, Identity, and Resistance: An Autoethnographic Exploration of a Chinese Queer Woman

• In Event: 40820 - Section on Sociology of Sex and Gender Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 6: Queer Identities, Experiences, and Communities

Abstract

This paper employs autoethnography to explore the complexities of self-identity, cultural expectations, and resistance as a Chinese queer woman. Through a critical self-narrative, I examine how gender, sexuality, and social norms shape my lived experiences in both China and overseas. Drawing from my engagement in cosplay as a method of queer exploration, as well as my experiences as a scholar and asexual individual navigating familial and societal pressures, I demonstrate how autoethnographic writing serves as both an act of personal empowerment and a means of sociological inquiry. This study contributes to discussions on queer identity formation, gendered expectations in Chinese society, and the methodological significance of autoethnography in studying marginalized experiences.

Author

• Weifeng Tao, University of Oxford