Chinese Male Homosexualities: Memba, Tongzhi and Golden Boy

by Travis S. K. Kong

This book presents a groundbreaking exploration of masculinities and homosexualities amongst Chinese gay men. It provides a sociological account of masculinity, desire, sexuality, identity and citizenship in contemporary Chinese societies, and within the constellation of global culture. Kong reports the results of an extensive ethnographic study of contemporary Chinese gay men in a wide range of different locations including mainland China, Hong Kong and the Chinese overseas community in London, showing how Chinese gay men live their everyday lives. Relating Chinese male homosexuality to the extensive social and cultural theories on gender, sexuality and the body, postcolonialism and globalisation, the book examines the idea of queer space and numerous 'queer flows' – of capital, bodies, ideas, images, and commodities – around the world. The book concludes that different gay male identities – such as the conspicuously consuming memba in Hong Kong, the urban tongzhi , the 'money boy' in China and the feminised 'golden boy' in London – emerge in different locations, and are all caught up in the transnational flow of queer cultures which are at once local and global.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 30, 2009

Reviews

[John Champneys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book some time ago now and I forgot to update my reading progress. Sadly I remember very little detail but I was well impressed with the work. It was the personal stories of male Chinese sex workers which really made the book come alive for me. It's an academic work and by its very nature can be heavy going in places. However modern academia seems to be far more readable now than it was when I was studying in college and, as already stated, the personal stories really brought the book to life for me. And I have to confess to having more than one erotic fantasy over some of the narratives.
It's a book which spreads its interest tentacles far beyond its targeted audience.
Well done!