Just what is Tongzhi?
Tongzhi is the most popular contemporary Chinese
word for lesbians, bisexuals, and gay people. The word, which has
very positive historical references, was a Chinese translation
from the Soviet communist term comrade. It was appropriated by a
Hong Kong gay activist in 1989 for the first Lesbian and Gay Film
Festival in Hong Kong by its organizers, who wanted to employ an
indigenous representation of same-sex eroticism. The term
'homosexual' was inappropriate because of its use as a medical
term denoting sickness and pathology. Within a few years, tongzhi
became a widely used term in Hong Kong and Taiwan and is often
used interchangeably with the English term gay.
But terms such as gay, lesbian, and queer are
Anglo-Saxon in origin, with specific histories that cannot capture
the indigenous features of Chinese same-sex relationships. Tongzhi
implies and includes much more. S/Mers, transvestites, and other
fetishists and members of the Chinese sexual counterculture who
may be quite heterosexual are also tongzhi. And the term has
meaning beyond the sexual: it embodies a strong sentiment for
integrating the sexual (legitimizing same-sex love), the political
(sharing the goals of combating heterosexism) and the cultural (reappropriating
their Chinese identity).
For researchers, activists, and sociologists,
Tongzhi: Politics of Same-Sex Eroticism in Chinese Societies
examines Chinese societies where the family-kinship system, rather
than an sexuality, is taken as the basis of an individual's
identity. With Tongzhi, you will come to understand the variations
of same-sex erotica in different Chinese societies. Examining past
and present treatment of the subject, including instances of
discrimination against homosexuals, Tongzhi explores same-sex
eroticism in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and explains the
variations of categories and experiences of tongzhi in these
countries.
Tongzhi brings you fascinating insight into: the
history of same-sex eroticism in China coming out in Chinese
society how colonialism has affected sexual nonconformists in this
region racial and sexual dynamics in Colonial Hong Kong the
cultural politics of being a Tomboy/Girl in modern Hong Kong
"queering the mainstream" with Tongzhi identity politics
sexual/cultural diversities and differences among contemporary
Chinese societies . . . and much more!
Tongzhi shows how culture influences identity
and demonstrates how you can develop relevant strategies for
successful activist movements. Discussing political movements for
gay/lesbian/bisexual rights and the societal implications of
same-sex eroticism, this intelligent book provides you with a
clear understanding of the attitudes toward and meanings of being
tongzhi today.
Tongzhi
: Politics of Same-Sex Eroticism in Chinese Societies 
