The York Research Database

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex with Chinese Characteristics

T2 - Sexuality research in/on 21st century China

AU - Jackson, Stephanie Forsythe

AU - Ho, Petula Sik Ying

AU - Cao, Siyang

AU - Kwok, Chi

N1 - © The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

PY - 2018/4/24

Y1 - 2018/4/24

N2 - This article examines the changing contours of Chinese sexuality studies by locating recent research in historical context. Our aim is to use the literature we review to construct a picture of the sexual landscape in China and the socio-cultural and political conditions that have shaped it, enabling readers unfamiliar with China so understand its sexual culture and practices. In particular, we focus on the consequences of recent changes under the Xi regime for individuals’ sexual lives and for research into sexuality. While discussing the social and political regulation of sexuality, we also attend to the emergence of new forms of gendered and sexual subjectivity in post-socialist China. We argue throughout that sexuality in China is interwoven with the political system in a variety of ways, in particular through the tension between neoliberal and authoritarian styles of governance. We explore normative and dissident sexualities as well as forms of sexual conduct that are officially “deviant” but nonetheless tolerated or even tacitly enabled by the Party-state. In particular we highlight the dilemmas and contradictions faced by China’s citizens as they negotiate their sexual lives under “socialism with Chinese characteristics”.

AB - This article examines the changing contours of Chinese sexuality studies by locating recent research in historical context. Our aim is to use the literature we review to construct a picture of the sexual landscape in China and the socio-cultural and political conditions that have shaped it, enabling readers unfamiliar with China so understand its sexual culture and practices. In particular, we focus on the consequences of recent changes under the Xi regime for individuals’ sexual lives and for research into sexuality. While discussing the social and political regulation of sexuality, we also attend to the emergence of new forms of gendered and sexual subjectivity in post-socialist China. We argue throughout that sexuality in China is interwoven with the political system in a variety of ways, in particular through the tension between neoliberal and authoritarian styles of governance. We explore normative and dissident sexualities as well as forms of sexual conduct that are officially “deviant” but nonetheless tolerated or even tacitly enabled by the Party-state. In particular we highlight the dilemmas and contradictions faced by China’s citizens as they negotiate their sexual lives under “socialism with Chinese characteristics”.

KW - Sexual minorities

KW - women's sexuality

KW - desire

KW - extramarital sex

KW - special populations

KW - lesbian and gay

KW - China

U2 - 10.1080/00224499.2018.1437593

DO - 10.1080/00224499.2018.1437593

M3 - Article

VL - 55

SP - 486

EP - 521

JO - JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH

JF - JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH

SN - 0022-4499

IS - 4-5

ER -