The sociolinguistic navigation of sexual normativities among same-gender-attracted men in contemporary Chengdu, China

Abstract

In this article, the navigation of normativities by same-gender-attracted, male-identified individuals in Chengdu, China is considered with reference to their linguistic identity work. It foregrounds the relevance of plural normativities, which often arise from intersecting structural forces with diverse cultural roots, to better acknowledge the rich diversity of the broader sexual minority community in China. In turn, it argues that individual performances of sexual identity cannot be accurately accounted for using essentialist notions of culture. Furthermore, it is suggested that a sociocultural discourse analysis approach can provide an important and novel perspective on sexual identity in the region. Taking up this perspective questions and challenges assumptions of a characteristic orientation to normality in ‘Chinese culture’ and complicates oversimplified conceptualisations of normativity.