Dancing with filial nationalism: strategic deployment of family values and parental authority in LGBT activism in Chin


Jian Fu, Memorial University

This research explores how LGBT activists negotiate sexual rights within the context of nationalism. While existing scholarship has documented the deployment of sexual nationalism by conservative and authoritarian forces, there is a dearth of studies examining how progressive actors, such as LGBT activists, interact with conservative-leaning nationalism. Addressing this gap, this study examines the strategic utilization of filial nationalism in the discourses and strategies of NGO X, a grassroots organization in China, in response to the exclusion of sexual minorities in the nation-building process by the patriarchal state. By framing its discourse within the framework of family values and mobilizing actions under the guise of parental authority, NGO X ensures its survival amidst state repression. Specifically, by portraying its familial coming-out services as contributions to social stability, NGO X bridges the gap between homosexual children and the state through the narrative of "family values." Through the strategic use of parental authority, NGO X mitigates the risk of direct repression in its advocacy activities. However, this strategic engagement with official ideology in rightful resistance creates a fragile and volatile relationship with the state, as the state may both affirm NGO Xs advocacy for the sake of social stability and crackdown on it to compel changes in the organizations name and operations. This analysis contributes to our understanding of the intersectionality of nationalism and sexuality in rightful resistance, shedding light on the praxis of LGBT activism in challenging circumstances.

This paper will be presented at the following session: