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Post-Oppositional Queer Politics and the Non-Confrontational Negotiation

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Post-Oppositional Queer Politics and the Non-Confrontational Negotiation View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by ASU Digital Repository Post-Oppositional Queer Politics and the Non-confrontational Negotiation of Queer Desires in Contemporary China by Shuzhen Huang A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved April 2016 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Daniel Brouwer, Chair H.L.T. Quan Jacqueline Martinez ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY May 2016 ABSTRACT The meaning of sexuality is not only specific to particular time periods in history; it is also culturally specific. Informed by transnationalism, queer of color critique, postcolonial feminism, and public sphere theory, my dissertation investigates the complex dynamic between what I call "Chinese queer subjects" and their bio-genetic families in a time of queer globalization. By centering the life experiences of Chinese queer subjects through interviewing and rhetorical analysis, this project intervenes in the teleological discourse of "coming out" that is circulated both in transnational LGBT movements and within academia. Through a materialist analysis of the "coming out" discourse in mainland China, I reveal why and how the discourse of "coming out" is prioritized in Chinese LGBT movements in order to foster a domestic queer market in mainland China. Of most significance to this project are the two non-confrontational strategies that some Chinese queer subjects employ to navigate the tension between family and sexuality: first, the reticent "coming with" strategy that engages the home space with queer desires, transforming the heteronormative family institution from within, toward a more livable queer life; second, the xinghun strategy, a marriage arrangement that many Chinese gay men and lesbian women partake in as a means of being gay or lesbian without exiting the family kinship system. The practices of reticent "coming with" and xinghun challenge the binary between family and sexuality, suggesting that queerness can emerge and thrive without exiting the (heterosexual) family; they give us some concrete examples of what AnaLouise Keating calls "post- oppositional politics" among some Chinese queer subjects. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS About five years ago, I arrived in the United States for the first time, thinking that I would study popular culture and fandom in graduate school. “Rhetoric,” “sexuality/queer,” “intercultural/transnational,” and “postcolonial” were not part of the plan. Yet so many things have happened in the last five years that these words are central to my scholarship today; they are central in my everyday life. There are so many people behind this transition from the person I was then to the person that I am today. I cannot imagine how I would arrive at writing the acknowledgements for this dissertation project without their help and support. I am grateful for my wonderful committee members. My advisor, Daniel Brouwer, is an invaluable mentor and a role model whom I admire. In the process of writing this dissertation, I was inspired by his expertise and his critique of every chapter of my manuscript; I was also touched by his generosity in helping me, a non-native speaker, with the tedious work of editing and proofreading. During the last five years at the Hugh Down School, he has shown his warm support, faith, and patience with me, as well as his interest in my work. Jacqueline Martinez, her constructive comments, supportive feedback/advice, as well as challenging questions for my work were vital to my project. And I am grateful for H.L.T. Quan -- her brilliant comments and her enthusiasm in social justice has been a great inspiration for me. She has instilled in me an appreciation of and a passion for activism toward social transformation. Occasionally, she also treated me to her marvelous cooking which nurtured both my body and mind towards finishing this project. ii I am also grateful for Karen Leong, Aren Aizura, and Heather Switzer, all of whom offered their insightful feedback at the early stages of this project. This dissertation would not have been possible without their help and support. Thank you to all my interviewees who generously shared their time and stories with me even though we did not know each other before I began this dissertation project; And many thanks to my feminist friends who introduced me to my interviewees, and whose wisdom and courage have inspired me to continue working in the field of gender and sexualities. Thank you to my colleagues and dear friends, Lou Clark, Roberta Chevrette, and Jieyoung Kong. Without their friendship and encouragement, the last five years would have been miserable. Thank you to my Aikido senseis and dojo friends for the welcoming and friendly environment they have cultivated. The practice of Aikido has kept me healthy and helped me to keep in touch with my bodily existence. To friends and strangers who have shown kindness to me. Your kindness has been the precious pieces in life that helped me to move on and to maintain hope. To Terrie Wong, for her gentle love, her friendship, and for generously spending time on reading and editing my work. Her company and grounding presence have been invaluable for my well-being. Finally, I thank my family members who have loved and trusted me for so many years. They may not see this dissertation, they may not understand my words/work, but this dissertation is dedicated to them. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................. ..................................................................................... 1 Homosexuality in Discourse ...................................................................... 4 Historicizing Sexuality in Western Contexts ................................ 5 Culturalizing Sexuality in China ................................................... 9 The Colonializing Effect of Identity-based Homosexuality ...... 16 Non-confrontational Negotiation: “Coming with” and Xinghun ............ 22 The Materiality of Queer Life in Contemporary China .......................... 26 2 METHODS & THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS ................................................ 31 Methodology ............................................................................................ 31 Methods: Data Collection ........................................................................ 34 Who Are Chinese Queer Subjects? ............................................. 35 Interviews ..................................................................................... 37 Texts for Analysis ........................................................................ 41 Methods: Analysis .................................................................................... 45 Rhetorical Analysis/Criticism ..................................................... 45 Why Rhetorical Analysis/Criticism ............................................ 45 The Materiality of Rhetoric ......................................................... 46 Theoretical Frameworks .......................................................................... 49 Transnationalism ......................................................................... 49 iv CHAPTER Page Queer of Color Critique ............................................................... 53 Postcolonial Feminism ................................................................ 55 Public Sphere Theory .................................................................. 58 Limitations ................................................................................... 62 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 64 3 CONTEXTUALIZING QUEER DESIRES IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA ..... 66 Quanzi: The Queer Circle ........................................................................ 67 Family and Marriage in Neoliberal China ............................................... 74 Privatization and Family ............................................................. 76 The Biopolitics of Marriage ........................................................ 77 Representations of Homosexuality in Popular Culture ........................... 80 The Economy of Queer Discourse .......................................................... 85 The Pink Market in Contemporary China................................... 86 Affective Advertising .................................................................. 90 Affective Identification and Affective Surplus Value ............................ 95 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 99 4 COMING OUT, COMING HOME, COMING WITH ......................................... 101 Coming Out ............................................................................................ 103 Coming Out: How and When .................................................... 104 Coming Out is Classed and Gendered ...................................... 109 An Ongoing Process to Make Meaningful Difference ............. 111 Coming Out or Coming Home? ............................................................ 115 v CHAPTER Page Coming Home as Decolonial Response .................................... 118 Coming With: When Coming Home is Not Enough ............................ 120 Unspeakable and Unintelligible Queer Desires ...................................
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