According to D'Emilio's article, Biblical condemnations of homosexual behavior has always been a prevalent aspect of the Western origin. In the Judeo- Christian tradition, for instance, "homosexual behavior was excoriated as a heinous act, the law branded it a serious crime"(D'Emilio 25). With the labeling of homosexuality as a "negative connotation" in western society, there exists a sexual hierarchy which places homosexuality and any form of queerness at the condemned "outer limits" of the sexual value system (Gayle 6). Within this sexual value system, good, normal, and natural sexuality is ideally heterosexual, marital, monogamous, and non-commercial" (Gayle 6). The sexual stratification, or ranking of social value based upon sexual orientation, reflects a power imbalance amongst the sexes and discrimination and in-acceptance towards those belonging to the marginalized sexes. In the "Thinking Sex" article by Gayle Rubin, asserts that "like gender, sexuality is political, it is organized into system of power, which reward and encourage some individuals, and activities, while punishing and suppressing others" (Gayle 17). Heterosexuality belongs to the former while homosexuality belongs to the latter.
However, it is important to note that a system of sexual stratification and the labeling of what are considered "good" or "bad" sex, mentioned in Gayle and D'Emilio's articles, were not present in pre-modern East Asia until after the arrival of western influences. Contrary to what some people may believe, anti-homo eroticism was not historically prevalent in many East Asian countries until just these past two centuries.
In the article "Confucianism Gender and Sexuality", the writer claims that, according to the teachings of Confucius, "homosexuality was discouraged, but not specifically condemned as "sinful." In addition, the hierarchy of East Asian societies was based upon familial status and "natural" patriarchy (ruler/subject, parent/child, husband/wife, elder sibling/younger sibling). Ones conceived personal identity and his/her position in his/her society is not "grounded in ones sexual activities" (Confucianism Gender and Sexuality). In fact, "no analog to the modern Western notion of "homosexuality" [existed] in premodern East Asia" (Confucianism Gender and Sexuality). This lack of a societal labeling for same-sex preferences reflects that homosexual acts were probably not of any concern as long as such affairs "did not interfere with the filial responsibility to produce heirs and maintain family lineages" (Confucianism Gender and Sexuality).
It was not until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when contact with modern Western social values became widespread across East Asia, that the people in these traditionally Confucian societies began to "adopt systematic prejudices toward homoerotic activity" (Confucianism Gender and Sexuality). By cross referencing the familial hierarchy of Confucianism with the sexual hierarchy introduced by Westerners, East Asian countries began to view homosexuals as being in equal status as women, who are in the bottom of the East Asian patriarchal society. Anti-homoeroticism soon spread throughout the East Asia as people began to view same-sex intimate interactions as "feminine" acts that should not be practiced by men. The once asexual view of same-sex intimacy in East Asian countries became tainted by the western conception of what is considered "bad" or "good" sex.
Anti-homoerotic attitudes modernly present in many East Asian countries are not the construction of their indigenous values, but the result of having assimilated and/or adapted certain western social systems into their ethnic cultures. The fixation on homosexuality as a "socially deviant" and "morally repugnant" is alien to the Confucian tradition of premodern East Asia and "reflects the influence of Western cultures far more than indigenous values of East Asia' (Confucianism Gender and Sexuality). As Gayle concluded in this article, "in Western culture, sex is taken all too seriously" (Gayle 17).
D’Emilio, John. "Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview" from Sexual
Politics, Sexual, Communities in the United States 1940- 1970. Chicago, Ill: University
of Chicago Press, 1983.
"Confucianism Gender and Sexuality." Balanced Views of Religion and Spirituality with Faith | Patheos.
Web. 09 Feb. 2012.
Community/Gender-and-Sexuality?offset=1>.
Rubin, Gayle. "Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality"
from Social Perspectives in Gay and Lesbian Studies ed. Peter M Nardi and Beth
Schneider. 1993.
The biblical condemnation of Judeo-Christian religious thought that hyxue talks about in this blog post seems to not only have affected East Asian culture but the beliefs of many of America’s colonized peoples. The power of Westernization in almost all areas of thought is astounding, especially when considering how a culture’s once accepted, and in some cases valued, attributes such as queerness is now almost completely eliminated.
ReplyDeleteBased on hyxue’s reportings, “the sexual stratification, or ranking of social value based upon sexual orientation, reflects a power imbalance” (Hyxue). However, that imbalance was not always in the disfavor of the queer individuals within a culture. For instance, Cherrie Moraga’s article “Queer Aztlán: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe” briefly addresses that “in some Native American tribes, gay men and lesbians were traditionally regarded as ‘two-spirited’ people… [who] were highly respected members of their community, and were thought to possess a higher spiritual development” (164). However, she is quick to clarify in a footnote that “homosexuality generally [is not] condoned in contemporary Indian societies” (164). This is concurrent with hyxue’s argument that Western influence has altered the traditional views toward LGBTQ individuals within a given society, an unfortunate recurring theme. If the American people as a whole come to acceptance and embrace the LGBTQ community, hopefully this new Westernized thought will disseminate throughout the nations that are currently influenced by such beliefs.
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ReplyDeleteI think it’s very interesting that this post points out that there wasn’t always a stigma attached to being gay. In fact, the stigma isn’t necessarily about a person’s sexuality at all. In Tomas Almaguer’s article “Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual Identity and Behavior,” he discusses the fact that there was little, if any stigma attached to the homosexual partner who is seen as dominant and generally more masculine, and “for all intents and purposes, he is just a normal… male” (Almaguer 539).
ReplyDeleteThis article mentions the fact that homosexual relations are seen as feminine, but in the “Chicano Men” article, Almaguer refers to only one partner in a homosexual relationship as feminine. “It is primarily the anal-passive individual… who is stigmatized for playing the subservient, feminine role” (Almaguer 539). Hyxue’s article points out that homosexuals were given the same low status as woment. Almaguer’s article also points to the notion that homosexuals are only looked down upon if they are womanly or effeminate. (Almaguer 539). Perhaps in the future, because women are rising in status, homosexuals will also lose their stigma and will be seen as equals with heterosexuals.
Almaguer, Tomas. “Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual Identity and Behavior.” Differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies 3.2 (1991): 75-100. Print
It is very accurate to say that Western culture and Judeo-Christianity has greatly affected the idea that homosexuality is ‘wrong.’ As stated in “Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview,” the Judeo-Christian tradition deemed homosexual behavior as a heinous sin and the law branded it as a serious crime (D’Emilio, Page 25). I find it interesting that, according to hyxue, the Confucius beliefs and traditions did not deem homosexuality as wrong until the introduction of Western beliefs. Western civilization has colonized and molded the LGBTQ community, dictated it as a sin and deemed it a disease that can be cured. However, certainly many other cultures viewed homosexuality as ‘wrong’ and did not favor it. Traditionally, and according to many religious beliefs, men and women are biologically created to mate and reproduce, which is perhaps the main reason homosexual relationships are deemed inappropriate, because same-sex couples are unable to mate. It plays into the gender norms of the East Asian culture that men are the breadwinners, whereas women are the homemakers. It was an accepted norm because of the way men and women were biologically created. Western culture and society strengthened the idea, but the traditional ideals of heterosexism were always there in the East Asian culture.
ReplyDeleteReferences:
D’Emilio, John. "Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview" from Sexual Politics, Sexual, Communities in the United States 1940- 1970. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press, 1983.