Return, Come Out: Queer Lives in Postcolonial Hong Kong

• In Event: Queer Sinophone Studies: New Directions

Abstract

The paper is inspired by Helen Leung’s book _Undercurrents: Queer Culture and Postcolonial Hong Kong_ (2008) and developed from my observation of the interesting "coincidence" of the coming out of Hong Kong people （香港人） and the coming out of tongzhi (LGBTQ people) in post-97 Hong Kong. It looks at and looks for the connection of local HK identity and local queer identity. I see both identities as a resistance to forces of silencing and dismissal, in particular, the political discourse of "return" （回歸） and the homophobic demand of asking queer subjects to stay in the closet（入櫃）. The paper attempts to investigate the formation of local Hong Kong identity from the perspectives of queer people, or in other words, it tries to incorporate queer voices and stories into the discussion of local Hong Kong identity. In this paper, I juxtapose the discussion/ debates of local identity and LGBT politics in Hong Kong so as to problematize, 1) the official discourse of national identity, as a “natural” (and proud) identity after the “return” of the territory to China; and 2) the celebration of “coming out” (as a proud LGBTQ subject) in the local LGBTQ movement. Interviews of LGBTQ identified participants in local political events in recent years are conducted to document queer voices in the on-going struggle of local identity, and to explore the connection between Hong Kong identity and local queer identity.

Author

• Lucetta Kam, Hong Kong Baptist University