Job Discussion Forums

lerenah · Joined: 31 Aug 2009 Posts: 13

Anyone have any thoughts on how China receives homosexuals. I know there are tons of clubs around, but generally how open are the Chinese in society and especially in the workplace? Do you have to hide it?

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:44 am Post subject:

Serious responses only, please.

Inappropriate responses will be deleted and sanctions issued, as appropriate.

Lobster · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:58 am Post subject:

They do not like it. They still consider it a perversion. Your students won't like it. Stay in the closet.

RED

lerenah · Joined: 31 Aug 2009 Posts: 13

Thanks for your response. I'll keep that in mind. Just out of curiosity, how long have you been in China? Have you ever known anyone that's been out of the closet? I'm just trying to a picture of what it's really like here.

YankeeDoodleDandy · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:53 am Post subject:

I have lived in China for 6 years and I have shared with my students that 4% to 7% of Americans are homosexual, based on teaching a Health and Guidance course to several classes of students in Glendale, California and what was printed in the textbook, that I was provided with. In the United States and I believe in other parts of this big wide world, people are more open and tolerant. I have no first hand knowledge of this in China, so I can't tell you. From what I have read online, it does exist in China at a much lower level. The pressure to produce a son to carry on the family name/line is tremendous.A few/some homosexuals do marry to appease their family, yet they continue to have a relationship with their same sex lover. Hope this helps Kinsey YDD.

JGC458 · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 248 Location: Shanghai

lerenha, in Shanghai (and probably other big cities) I've seen plenty of very gay-looking guys happily going about their everyday lives. I've also worked with a couple of gay teachers (if my gaydar wasn't off). Also you get one or a few gay students who may or may not know they are gay. So if we're talking about a big, cosmopolitan city in China, then if you don't rub your (alternative) sexual orientation in their face, people/authorities will likely be tolerant (I think!).

But if you can't be (quite) discrete, or are headed to a smaller town or the countryside, then you could have problems. Maybe big problems.

Students I've talked to in Shanghai generally think gays carry diseases and want to "pervert" boys...

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

Lobster · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject:

I've been here over 7 years. I do find that young people are getting more tolerant, but they're not really the ones you need to be concerned about. In terms of tolerance, I'd say that China is about where the US was in ..maybe 1969? This is still basically still a very conservative society.

Shanghai and Beijing may be more accepting. Let's face it, there are still some places where girls who date foreigners get nasty remarks. If they still haven't gotten over inter-racial relationships, they aren't ready for same-sex relationships.

I don't talk about sex or sexual relationships in my classes. Why a person would feel to discuss/display their or others' orientation with strangers and co-workers is completely beyond me. You want smooth sailing? Don't talk sex, race, religion or politics. That's my advice.

RED

IT2006 · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject:

Homosexuality is a social issue, not a cultural issue. Why any FT would want to tread these waters is beyond me.

One FT I worked with tried to turn the topic into a personal psychodrama.

Wrong place.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

Lobster · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject:

Well there you have it. Feel free to discuss all these topics with your students and you'll have no problems at all. You can interweave them with your insights on Tibet, Tiananmen, Falun Gong and Taiwan independence. Share your enlightened western views without worry! It's all fair game. Have fun!

RED

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

why all the hostility? i managed to have an adult discussion with adult students on a topic (social issues, of which homosexuality was one part) that they showed some interest in, yet some self righteous "teachers" feel the need to come on here and criticize needlessly. well, if it makes you feel better, then have at er lobster.

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:01 am Post subject:

Stay on topic.

Future personal asides threatening to derail the thread will result in sanctions.

Said sanctions will be of the severe variety to include iSPs.

Final warning.

alter ego · Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 209

Hey Cleric, I think your first reply helped make this topic thread a bit more open minded, more of a shades of gray discussion than a black and white one. Nicely done. But I don't think the tone here is as much hostile as it is just strongly opinionated. You know how it gets here and I'm sure it could and would easily spiral out of control had not the moderator stepped in and reminded everyone to keep it civil.

One question I have for the OP is where do you live? It sounds like you're already living in China because you wrote:

Lobster · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:27 am Post subject:

MOD EDIT Just because you, in your particular situation, managed to lead some successful discussions on these topics does not suggest that others will have the same outcomes in their workplaces.

You are speaking of a specific case, while I am debating the situation in general. All of these topics could be discussed with a class that is mature, open-minded and has established a good rapport with the instructor, as would the expression of an alternate sexual orientation. What I am saying is that in the majority of cases, Chinese do not like to discuss these issues except with people they really trust, and in general it's a good idea to avoid these topics.