Family and sexuality in China: the case of functional marriage.

• Other Authors: Luo, Ming.
• Format: Others
• Language: English; Chinese
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Gender expression; Gender expression > China; Sexual orientation; Sexual orientation > China; Marriage; Marriage > China; Families; Families > China
• Online Access: http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b5549103; http://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/en/item/cuhk-328628

本文旨在通过对形式婚姻个案的分析，来探讨中国社会里的家庭与性的关系。形式婚姻是一种正在被中国同性恋者实践的互助合作型婚姻。具体而言，本文将主要关注两个问题：第一，家庭如何影响了其成年子女的性表达和性实践；第二，成年子女如何在家庭的影响下进行性表达和性实践。本文的分析材料主要包括 22份在中国某北方城市所作的深度访谈的录音整理、同性恋活动的田野笔记和形式婚姻网络聊天小组的聊天记录。本文发现，中国家庭可以通过四种机制对其成年子女的性产生重要影响，包括共同体维系、资源分配、福利供给和血缘延续。同时，成年子女在与这种四种机制所传递的压力进行策略性互动的情况下表达和实践他（她）们的性。另外，本文发现，同性恋者常常为了家庭的期望、舆论和和睦做出妥协与让步。因此，在有关中国家庭的研究中，个人主义的兴起不应被过分夸大。尽管形式婚姻是一个发生在中国社会中的个案，但是本文的发现亦有可能对有关非西方社会的家庭研究有所贡献。 === This paper tries to explore the relationship between family and sexuality in Mainland China through discussing the case of functional marriage, a reciprocal marriage conducted by the Chinese homosexuals. Specifically, the primary concern of this paper is how family shapes the expression and practice of sexuality of adult children and how adult children practice and negotiates their sexualities under the familial influences. Data for analysis in this paper includes full transcripts of twenty-two in-depth interviews in a northern city of China, field notes of homosexual activities and chat logs of on-line chatting groups for functional marriage. This paper empirically finds that Chinese families can exert considerable power on their adult children’s sexualities through four mechanisms - community maintenance, resource allocation, care provision and blood tie continuity. Concomitantly, adult children “do“ their sexualities in familial influence by strategically negotiating with power exerted through the four mechanisms. Moreover, by observing that the homosexuals’ personal desires and interests are often compromised to fulfill their families' expectations and consensus, this paper argues that the rising individualism emphasized by some studies of Chinese family should not be overstated. Though functional marriage is a case in the context of Chinese society, it may have some implications for other nonwestern societies in which family plays a central role in local culture and value system as well as in daily life. === Detailed summary in vernacular field only. === Luo, Ming. === Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-60). === Abstracts also in Chinese. === Chapter I. --- Introduction --- p.1 === Chapter II. --- Background --- p.4 === Chapter III. --- Review of Literature --- p.6 === Chapter A. --- Research on Sexuality in the West --- p.6 === Chapter B. --- Family and Sexuality in Chinese Society --- p.8 === Chapter IV. --- Methods --- p.13 === Chapter A. --- Research Site --- p.13 === Chapter B. --- Data Collection --- p.14 === Chapter C. --- Analysis --- p.17 === Chapter V. --- Mechanisms of Family Pressure --- p.18 === Chapter A. --- Community Maintenance --- p.20 === Chapter B. --- Resource Allocation --- p.24 === Chapter C. --- Care Provision --- p.27 === Chapter D. --- Blood Tie Continuity --- p.31 === Chapter VI. --- Response and Contention of Family Member --- p.34 === Chapter A. --- Community Maintenance --- p.36 === Chapter B. --- Resource Allocation --- p.40 === Chapter C. --- Care Provision --- p.44 === Chapter D. --- Blood Tie Continuity --- p.48 === Chapter VII. --- Family and Sexuality: Conclusion and Discussion --- p.53 === Reference --- p.57