Mixed-Orientation Marriages in China: The Role of Heteronormativity and Filial Piety

Majority of Chinese gay men ‘choose’ to get married to a heterosexual women without the wife’s knowledge of their partner’s same-sex attraction and thus enter into mixed-orientation marriages (MOMs). However, there is scant empirical research on MOMs in China, even though a large number of MOMs exist in China. To be specific, MOMs in this research is only refer to men who are sexually attracted to men get married to heterosexual wives. This qualitative research with in-depth interview as the main instrument will explore the lived marriage experiences of men who are sexually attracted to men, and heterosexual women in MOMs in China using the dual theoretical lens of filial piety and heteronormativity (i.e. intersection of gender and sexuality), to identify relevant sociocultural changes (changes vs. traditions) in contemporary China through their lived experiences in MOMs.

 

Note: Mr. Song Chang Hui is a PhD candidate in Gender and Development Studies, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand). He has a very keen interests in IPSR's research expertise. Therefore, he'd like to present his concept paper for the research and expect comments and advices in order to improve his research design before commencing the data collection during next year.