Increasing societal tolerance of gay men amidst the authoritative family unit of Hong Kong: a historical assessment of family attitudes towards gay men's sexuality and masculinity in the late 20th century

• Main Author: Sim, Nikki Hui Min
• Other Authors: Florence Mok
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Humanities::History
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/165382
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The socio-political development of Hong Kong in the late 20th century was characterised by colonial democratisation, that consequently granted legal concessions towards the LGBT community. Many academic papers regard this transition to align with the Modernisation Theory, which assumes that socioeconomic development inevitably produces more democratic values, and hence greater liberty in self-expression. However, this theory stems from a Western understanding of societal developments and does not consider the cultural context of Hong Kong where family is inevitably central in an individual’s life. Therefore, this thesis will examine the importance family in influencing gay men’s sexual expression and how it interferes with the Modernisation Theory. It argues that a different timeline is needed to understand Hong Kong families’ reception towards homosexuality, as while the socioeconomic and liberal legal changes coincide to fit the theory, societal attitudes were observed to develop tolerance at a slower pace. The article further argues that the state is a poor agent of change when it comes to families’ attitudes towards homosexuality, and in fact merely acts as a catalyst when supported by the family.