4/6/2017 Intersections:Introduction:Introduction:OfQueerImport(s):Sexualities,GendersandRightsinAsia

Intersections:Gender,HistoryandCultureintheAsianContext
Issue14,November2006

Introduction:OfQueerImport(s):
Sexualities,GendersandRightsinAsia

JamesWelkerandLucettaKam


1.ThisspecialissueofIntersectionsstemsfromtheconferenceSexualities,Genders,and
RightsinAsia:1stInternationalConferenceofAsianQueerStudies,heldinBangkok,79
July2005,andfeaturesarticlesbyconferencepresenters,includingbothpaperspresented
attheconferenceandnewwork.[1]Thetitleofthisissue,'OfQueerImport(s):Sexualities,
GendersandRightsinAsia,'bothassertsthesignificanceof'queer'inAsiaanddraws
attentiontothequestionofthe'importation'of'queer'whenitcomestodiscussionof
sexualities,gendersandrelatedrightsinAsia.

2.InspiredbythetensionthatinheresinstatementssuchasIndonesiangayrightsactivist
DdOetomo'sassertion,'I'mgaywhenI'mspeakingEnglish,'[2]wesentoutacallfor
papersthatinterrogatetheborderbetweenlocalandglobalqueeridentities,communities
andcultures.Weposedanumberofwhatwefeeltobequestionsvitaltothefield:Doesthe
'import'ofqueerculture,inanypermutation,servetoenhanceorerasetheindigenous?
Underwhatcircumstancesmightitbedesirabletodistinguishbetweentheindigenousand
theimported?Doqueeridentities,communitiesandculturestranscendtheEast/West
divide?Oristhisdividepoliticallyusefulforlocalresistancetotheglobalisationofqueer
identitiesifsuchresistanceisadesirableprojectforlocalcommunities?Howdoesintra
AsianculturalinfluencefunctionwithregardtoflowsofqueerAsianculturesandidentities?
HowdoesthistensionplayoutintermsofactivismrelatedtoLGBTrightsandtherightsof
sexworkersandpeoplelivingwithAIDS?Thepaperswehavecollectedhereoffer
meaningfulresponsestothesequestions,framedintermsofthedisciplinesofliteraryand
filmstudies,queertheory,politicalscience,sociology,historyandsexology.Wemust,
however,emphasisethat,whilepapersinthisissuerepresentawiderangeofcurrent
researchandwritingonqueerAsia,theyonlybegintosuggesttheimmensediversityof
scholarshipandpresentersattheBangkokconference.[3]

3.Inpromotionalannouncements,theconferenceorganisersdescribedtheeventas'[a]n
internationalinterdisciplinaryconferenceonstudiesoflesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,
transsexual,bisexual,andqueer(LGBTQ)culturesandcommunitiesinAsia,'thegoalsof
whichwere,primarilyaboutdeveloping'linkagesbetweenresearchaboutAsianLGBTQ
culturesandcommunitiesandpromotingrecognitionandrespectforsexualandgender
diversityintheregion'and,asacorollary,'tosupportanddefendtheacademiclegitimacyof
researchandteachingaboutLGBTQpeoplesinAsia.'[4]Over500delegatesrepresentingat
leasttwentytwocountriesareestimatedtohaveattended,andapproximately165ofthe
morethan180acceptedpaperswerepresented.[5]Theconferenceclearlyachievedits
primarygoals,andorganisersaswellasmostoftheparticipantswespokewithduringand
aftertheeventdeemedit,ofteneuphorically,verymuchasuccess.Wewouldargue,
moreover,thatthescaleoftheBangkokconferenceaswellasthediversityofpapers
presentedandtheindividualswhopresentedthemlendsstrongsupporttotheassertionthat
evenasitcontinuestostruggleforrecognitionwithinAsianStudiesandQueerStudies[6]

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AsianQueerStudieshasbecomeafieldofnosmallimport.

4.Thisfieldisfarfromsettled,however.Theveryterm'AsianQueerStudies'raisesissuesthat
werecriticaltotheframingandorganisingoftheconferenceandwhichremainfundamental
toconceptualisingthefield:Whatdowemeanby'queer'?Whatdowemeanby'Asia'and
'Asian'?Andrelatedly,whoisandshouldbetakingpartinthisdiscourse?Finally,towhat
extentdotheverywords'Asianqueerstudies'presumeanEnglishlanguageifnotWestern
focuseddiscourse?Andisthisproblematic?RatherthanexpresslydefiningthefieldofAsian
QueerStudiesorengaginginasurveythereof,bywayofanintroductiontothisspecial
issue,wewouldliketotakeupthesebroadquestionswithregardtothefieldandwithan
eyetohowtheywereplayedoutinthecontextoftheconference.Webeginwiththeterm
'queer.'

***

5.IntheprocessofsolicitingfundsfortheBangkokconference,theorganisingcommitteewas
toldintheirrejectionbyoneAmericanfundingagencythattherewas'aproblemwiththis
word"queer".'[7]The'problemwiththisword,'wewouldargue,isfirstandforemosta
problemnotoffundingbutofnamingand,thus,ofdefining.Todefineistomakesomething
clearthroughaprocessofdrawinglines,throughdelimitingwhatsomethingisandwhatitis
not.Yet,sincetheearliestacademicuseof'queer'indiscourseonLGBTQlivesunderthe
rubricof'queertheory,'thetermhasbeendeployedto'markacertaincriticaldistance'from
thespecificitiesofthecategoriesrepresentedbythesomewhatcumbersomeacronymand
to'avoidfinedistinctionsinourdiscursiveprotocolsbutinsteadtobothtransgressand
transcendthemorattheveryleasttoproblematizethem,'asTeresadeLauretiswritesin
theintroductiontothelandmark'QueerTheory'issueofdifferences.[8]Whatarethe
implicationsofapplyingthisseeminglyfluidandflexibleunderstandingofqueerwhichin
factemergedinaveryspecificAmericanacademiccontextataveryspecificpointintime
toindividuals,communitiesandculturesinanotherplaceandtime?Evenasitsmeaninghas
beenreworkedandhasbecomemoreexpansiveovertheinterveningfifteenyears,the
theoreticaluseof'queer'arguablyremainsrootedinWestern,primarilyAngloAmerican
discourse.WellawarethatitsapplicabilityinAsiancontextscannotmerelybeassumed,on
theconferencewebsiteandinotherpublicitymaterialstheorganisersclearlyspelledout
theirrationalefortheiruseoftheterm:

Theconferenceorganisersusetheword'queer'inbothitscurrentsenses.'Queer'isbothashorthandfor
thefulldiversityofhomoerotic,transgender,andtranssexualbehaviours,identities,andculturesaswell
asatermdescribingcriticalformsoftheorythatdrawonpoststructuralistandpostcolonialanalyses.Inits
conferencesandpublicationstheAsiaPacifiQueerNetwork[whichorganisedtheconference]emphasises
theneedtorethinkqueertheoryinAsiancontexts,simultaneouslycritiquinghomophobicdiscoursesand
practicesinAsiaandquestioningtheeurocentrism[sic]ofWesternaccountsofsexualityandgender.[9]

Attheconferenceitself,presentersoftendescribedculturesandpeoplesusinglocal
vocabulary,includinglocaltermswithincreasingregionalcurrencyliketheChinesetongzhi
[comrade],aswellaslocalisedvariantsoftermssuchaslesbian,gayandqueer.

6.Whenthefocusisexplicitlyregional,however,oneclearlyneedstermsthatcancross
bordersparticularlysoinaregionasdiverseasAsia.Moreover,asTomBoellstorffand
WilliamLeapobserve,'thefactremainsthatwaysoftalkingabouttheeverydayexperiences
ofsamesexdesirehavebeencaughtupinthetransnationalinterchangeofmaterialand
intellectualcommoditiesassociatedwiththeconditionoflatemodernity.'[10]Andthisismore
thanamereacademicdiscussion.InherkeynotespeechattheBangkokconference,
scholarandactivistJosephineHoused'queer'inreferencebothtoAsiaingeneraland
specificallytohernativeTaiwan,wherethelocallyinflectedku'er[queerorcool]competes
withtongzhiwithinqueercommunities.While,asAraWilsonpointsoutinthisissue,theuse
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ofqueer'doesnotsolveanyproblemsofEnglishlanguagehegemonyorethnocentric
categorisationsofsexuality,'Hobelievesthatintemporarilydrawingattentionawayfrom
thespecificitiesofgender,sex,sexuality,nationalityandlanguage,theterm'queer'may
serveasabannerunderwhichtounifythe'queer'individualsandcommunitiesthroughout
Asia,whomshehascalledontouniteinresponsetoanotherkindofglobalisation,namely
'globalgovernance,'whichthreatenstherightsofall'Asianqueers.'[11]

7.Whetherscholarsandactivistschoosetouse'queer'inabroadsense,ortermssuchas
lesbian,gay,homosexual,transgenderandtranssexualoracombinationthereofnot
spellingoutclearlywhatifanythingismeantinlocalcontextsbysuchtermsandwhether
theyareanauthor'stranslationsofindigenoustermsorindigenisationsofloanwordsrunsa
greatriskofimplyingaregionalorglobalhomogeneitythatdoesnotexist.[12]Indeed,widely
employedtermssuchas'lesbian'and'gay'haveoftengreatlydifferentvalencesandindex
differentexperiencesandidentitieswhentransliteratedandappropriatedintodifferent
languagesandcultures.[13]Further,althoughtheuseoflocaltermshasbeenincreasingly
favouredbythosewritinginEnglishwhowishtoforegroundacertainspecificityof
experience,onemuststillguardagainstreadingthesetermsasrepresentingpeoples,
cultures,practicesoridentitiesthataresubstantiallylessfluidthanthewordqueerattempts
toconvey.

8.Whileweareinclinedtowardtheuseofthewordqueerinconjunctionwithmorespecific
thoughnotnecessarilylocalterms,wewouldarguethatevenmoreimportantthanone's
choiceofterminologyisacriticalandexplicitengagementtherewith.Thecontributorsinthis
issueallvariouslyundertakesuchanengagement,whichnotonlyallowsformoreprecise
scholarshipbutalsoleadstoaricherunderstandingofbordercrossingtermsasregional
andglobalsignifiers,aswellaswhatandhowtheymeaninlocalcontexts.Katsuhiko
Suganumadescribeshow,forinstance,theoristsandactivistsinJapanhavearticulatedtheir
ownmeaningsofqueer,lesbianandgay,meaningswhich,whileundeniablylinkedtothe
words'foreignorigins,aregroundedinlocalunderstandingsofsexualityandgenderalbeit
understandingsshapedbyimportedsexologicaldiscoursesincethelatenineteenthcentury.
[14]AndAraWilsonassertsthatthewordlesbianisan'untenabledescriptionofmuch
femalefemaleandtransgendersexuality.'Moreover,localtermsmayonlybe'local'toa
certainregionofacountry,asSamWinterexplainsofthePhilippinesinhisarticle,ortheir
meaningsmaybluralongwiththesceneryonthejourneyfromonepartofthecountryto
another.Forherpart,CarolJohnsondemonstratesthatevenifthelanguageandideology
behinditdifferfromEasttoWest,the'threat'ofhomosexualityitselfcanbedeployedto
strangelysimilareffect.Itisourownhopethatsuchattentiontothevarious,oftenblurred,
meaningsoftermswithinthefieldofAsianQueerStudieswillleadtoamorenuanced,if
moreexpansive,notionofqueer,anotionabletopointtoglobalandlocalconceptualisations
ofgenderandsexualitywithoutforcingthemintoaprocrusteanWesternframework.

***

9.Ifqueerisunstableandpolyvalent,thesamecanofcoursebesaidofthenotionofAsia,
bothintheWestwhencethetermandintheregionitself,howeveritisdefined.Inthe
UK,forinstance,anAsianlikelycomesfromSouthAsia.AndAmericansgenerallyuseAsia
torefertoEastandsometimesSoutheastAsiahencethetermAsianAmericantendsto
conjureupanimageofsomeonewhoserootscanbetracedbacktoChinaorperhaps
VietnamratherthanPakistanorSriLanka,tosaynothingoftheAsiancountriesofthe
MiddleEast.InAustralia,whichbordersIndonesiaandwhichissituatedwithintheequally
amorphousAsiaPacificregion(ifnot,asithasbeenclaimed,withinAsiaitself),Asiameans
yetanotherthing.Withintheregiontheappellationattemptstodelineate,Asiaismobilised
fordifferentreasonsanditsmeaningisadjustedaccordingly.[15]Thecentreandmarginsof
Asiashiftgraduallywiththelandscapeandmoreabruptlyasbordersarecrossed.Thus,as
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aculturalorpoliticalregion,Asiaisimpossibletodefineprecisely,andthetermswhich
attempttodelineateregionsofAsiaSoutheastAsia,SouthAsia,CentralAsia,EastAsia,
WestAsiaandsofortharehardlylessproblematic.Moreover,suchdemarcationofborders
creates,bydefinition,contestablecategorisationsofinsider/localandoutsider/foreigner,
resultingintheimpositionofoftenarbitraryinclusionsandexclusions,whicharethemselves
complicatedbytheAsiandiaspora.Ifasenseofqueeridentityandsolidarityisamodern
constructhoweverborrowed,imposed,imported,adaptedorappropriatedsurelythe
samecanbesaidofAsianidentities.SomuchthemoreconstructedthenistheAsianqueer
identityandsolidaritycalledforbyHo.Whomaylegitimatelytospeakof,forandas'Asian
queers'isaquestionthatremainspertinent,sometimesurgentlyso,foreveryoneengagedin
Asianqueerstudiesandactivism.

10.WerevisittheBangkokconferenceforasenseofhowAsiaandAsianswererepresented
andrepresentingandinordertomapoutonerepresentationofqueerAsiaataparticularly
significantAsianQueerStudiesmoment.Intermsofpaperspresentedattheconference,
queerAsiawasclearlydominatedbyEastandSoutheastAsiawiththetworegions
comprisingalmosttwothirdsofacceptedpapers.[16]Regardlessoftheextenttowhichthe
balanceofpapersattheconferencerepresentstheattendeesandorganiserssenseofAsia,
however,itisindicativeofaclearimbalanceofpowerintermsoffinancialandcultural
capitalintheregion,andofreligiousandothercontemporaryculturalprohibitionsagainst
samesexsexualityandtransgenderpracticesinsomeAsiancountries.Moreover,whether
suchresearchisconductedbylocallybasedscholarsisafunctionbothoflocalinstitutional
supportforqueerresearchandoftheculturalacceptabilitythereof.

11.Wewillforgoanattempttobreakdownthenationalitiesofpresenters,notbecausethis
wouldnotbemeaningful(indeeditwouldbe),butbecauseoftheimpossibilityofdetermining
nationalityonthebasisofnamealone,andbecausethediversebackgroundsofthe
presentersincludingmanybicultural,binationalanddiasporicindividualsrenders
nationalityasuspectcategory,especiallyinafieldofscholarshipthatseekstobreakdown
barriersevenasitcallsforattentiontoandrespectforlocalandregionaldifferences.Even
toturnourlensbrieflyonthetwentythreecontributorstothisissueisnosimplematter.How
doesoneclassifyascholarwhogrewupinanAsiancountrybuthasbeeneducatedinand
isnowbasedataWesterninstitution?Whatshouldwemakeofthemanycontributorsfrom
AsiawhoarecurrentlybasedatAsianinstitutionsandwhoholdoneormoredegreesfrom
Australia,Canada,theUKortheUS?AndifascholarfromtheWest,whomayormaynot
identifyasadiasporicAsian,spendsadecadeormorelivingand/orresearchinginanAsian
countryashaveanumberofthecontributorsherehowwelldoessheorhefitintothe
troubledandtroublingcategoryofWesterner?

12.Asunstableacategoryasnationalitymaybe,however,ajustifiableconcernremainsabout
'foreign'queerresearchersandactivistscominginand'imposing'outsidevaluesand
interpretationshoweveradmirabletheirintentions.[17]Atthesametime,theinfluential
AsiaPacifiQueer(APQ)Network,whichwasfoundedandisbasedinthe'excentriclocation
ofAustralia...simultaneously...oftheWestandinAsia,'[18]hasfacilitatedagreatdealof
interAsianexchangeonqueerscholarshipincludingthreesmallscaleAPQconferencesin
AustraliaaswellasAPQstreamsthathave'queered'AsiastudiesconferencesinAustralia
andSingaporeandattemptedtoforegroundissuesofconcerntoAsianqueersatan
internationalqueerstudiesconferenceinLondon.Moreover,thegroupwasthedrivingforce
behindtheBangkokconferenceitself.[19]AlthoughtheorganisersofAPQ,likethe
contributorstothisissueandpresentersattheBangkokconference,cannoteasilybe
categorisedasAsianornonAsian,theyareallbasedatWesternacademicinstitutionsas
'excentric'astheinstitutionsandindividualsmaybeandthishasundoubtedlyshaped
boththeirperspectiveson'queerAsia'andthefocusofscholarshipthereon.

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13.WhileitwouldbegrosslymistakentosuggestthatsuchqueerinterAsiancollaboration
wouldnotexistwithoutWesternassistance,queerlocalandregionalorganisationsinAsia
aresometimeslinkedtotheWestincomplexways.Moreover,assuggestedabove,the
currentstateofthegeopoliticalaffairsissuchthatscholarshiponqueerissueshasbeen
morelikelyoverthepasttentotwentyyearstoreceiveinstitutionalsupport,including
funding,incountriessuchasAustralia,Canada,theUKandtheUSand,whilesome
scholarsinAsia,especiallyinJapan,TaiwanandHongKong,haverecentlybeenfindingit
somewhateasiertopursueresearchonqueerissues,thefieldremainsmoreestablishedon
aninstitutionallevelandbetterfundedoutsidetheregion.[20]Thus,itisnosurprisethat
researchers(andactivists)fromoutsideAsiahavebeeninstrumentalinthedevelopmentof
AsianQueerStudies.Yetwearealsowitnessinganincreasinglyrobustbodyofqueer
studiesandqueerpoliticsdevelopedbyresearchersandactivistswithintheregion.Locally
initiatedandorganisedacademicandactivistconferencesandseminarsonhomosexuality
andsexualrights,forinstance,havestartedtoappearinmainlandChinainrecentyears
thoughmanyofthemarenotacknowledgedinorvisibletotheEnglishacademicworld
reflectingtheincreasinglyactiverolelocalscholarsandactivistshaveplayedinthe
developmentofqueerstudiesandactivisminthecountry.[21]

***

14.AthirdkeyissuethatbothconnectsanddividesinAsianQueerStudiesislanguagean
issuewhichisinextricablylinkedtotheconceptualisationofqueerandAsia/Asian,the
tensionbetweenlocalandglobal,andthedemarcationofnationalandregionalborders.
WhatarethelinguisticandculturalassumptionsthatinhereinthenotionofAsianqueer?We
arewellawareoftheimpactofthedominanceofEnglishinthefieldofAsianQueerStudies,
animpactwhoserootsstretchfarbeyondthisparticulardiscourse.InmostpartsofAsia,
Englishhashistoricallybeenand,tomany,remainsanelitistlanguage,linkedtocenturiesof
Britishimperialism,toWesternculturalandeconomicpower,andtoaccesstohigher
educationinthecurrentday.InHongKong,forinstance,thepopularuseofEnglishis
restrictedtotheeducatedandthemiddleandupperclasses,bothbecauseandinspiteof
theregion'slonghistoryofBritishcolonisation.

15.Theconceptofqueerhasitselfbeenalinguisticallyandculturallyelitistconcepttomany
nonEnglishspeakingtongzhiinthecity.Whileuseofthetermtongzhitoindicatelesbians
andgays(ortoalesserextent,bisexualsandtransgenders)hasbecomeincreasingly
intelligibletopeopleinandoutsideofthetongzhicommunity,theuseofqueer(orku'er,in
itsChineseinflection)remainslargelyconfinedtotheacademiccommunityorappearsin
Englishasadirecttranslationoftongzhi.Theambiguityandforeignnessofthetermqueer
hascreatedanowlongstandinggapbetweentheacademic,elitist,activist,English
discourseofqueerontheonehand,andthepopular,nonelitist,community,Chinese
discourseoftongzhiontheother.Towhatextentcanthelinguisticallyandculturallyforeign
conceptofqueerencompasslocalsexualandgenderpracticesandexpressions?Whatkind
oflocalandregionalpoliticscanweemploytobridgethegapbetweenacademicEnglish
dominatedqueerstudiesandthelivedpracticesofindividualsthatmanyscholarsand
activistsintendtounifyunderthebigbannerofqueer?Finally,howcanweunifyindividuals
underthebannerofAsianqueerwhenmanyofindividualsintheregionarenotlinguistically
orculturallyfamiliarwithnor,sometimes,politicallyinvestedintheverynotionofqueer?
Undoubtedly,asWilsonoutlinesinthisissue,'queeringAsia'isaprojectfarmorecomplex
thanthequestionofchoosing(ornot)aunifyingtermortongueforallqueerindividualsin
theregion.

16.Althoughlanguageissueswereaddressedbyandwereclearlyasignificantconcernofthe
Bangkokconferenceorganisers,theiracceptanceofEnglishasaregionallinguafrancawas
suchthat,whiletheorganiserssawtheneedtooutlinethelanguagepolicy,theysawno
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needtojustifythechoiceofEnglishastheofficiallanguage.Regardlessoftheofficialstatus
ofEnglish,however,priortotheactualeventeffortwasmadetocirculateinformationaboutit
inotherlanguages.Elevenpreconferenceregionalandcountrycontactgroupsandemail
listsweresetup,andpartialtranslationsoftheconferencewebsitewerepostedinChinese,
JapaneseandThai(whichperhapsbothpromotedandreflectedtherelativelylarge
presenceofspeakersoftheselanguagesattheconference).[22]Inaddition,astreamof
Thailanguagepanelswassetup,creatingaconferencewithinaconferenceforThai
scholarsandactivists.Yet,duetoalackofresourcesaswellaslogistics,atthelarger
conferenceformalinterpretationwasprovidedforonlykeynoteandplenaryspeakers.[23]
Andasidefromseveraloftheintroductoryandconcludingspeechesbeingsimultaneously
interpretedintoThai,Englishclearlydominatedtheofficialfunctioningoftheconferencea
situationwhichadvantagedcertainindividualsandgroupsanddisadvantagedothers,and
whichmadeiteasierforthosemostcomfortablewithEnglishlanguageacademicdiscourse
tobothspeakandbeheard.

17.WhattheexperienceattheBangkokconferencesuggestsisnottheneedtofindalingua
francaotherthanEnglishforAsianQueerStudies.Instead,ifwearetocreateafieldthat
trulyseekstounitescholarsaswellasactivistsunderan'Asianqueer'banner,whatiscalled
forisafargreatersensitivity,amongnativespeakersandnonnativespeakersalike,to
practicalmeasuresthatcanbetakenonthegroundtofacilitateactualinterAsian,inter
cultural,indeed,interqueercommunication.Forbetterorforworse,thedominanceof
Englishinthefieldisunlikelytochangeintheforeseeablefuture.AndasJ.NeilC.Garcia
suggestsinthisissue,thecolonialandoftenelitistlanguageofEnglishmayactuallyfunction
asanemancipatorytool.GarciawritesthatTagalogandotherlocallanguages,'after
centuriesoferotophobicindoctrinationbythemedievalSpanishchurch...totheearofmost
contemporarymiddleclassFilipinos,seemincapableof'handling'mattersrelatingtosex
withoutatthesametimevulgarisingthem.'BecausenovelistFedericoLicsiEspino,Jr.,
'intendsbothapolemicandapostcolonial"antinationalist"interrogation,'hisnovel'simply
hadtobewrittenundertheaegisofthelanguageofcolonisation,evenwhen...itsubvertsthe
verysamelanguagethatitdeploys.'InthenascentfieldofAsianQueerStudies,itremains
tobeseen,however,theextenttowhich,intransandinterAsiancontexts,Englishwill
ultimatelyfunctiontolimitorliberatediscourseonAsianqueerlives.


Thecontentsofthisissue

18.ThisissueofIntersectionsbeginswiththreepapersthateachostensiblyfocusesonasingle
country,butevenastheylookatspecificqueertextscreatedinthePhilippines,Japanand
HongKong,theydemonstratehowbordersbetweencultureslikebordersbetweentexts
arepermeable,andhowidentitiesandcommunitiesliketextscanliterallyincorporatea
certainintertextualityastheyreferenceandgivenewmeaningtowordsandlivesfromother
culturesandtimes.

19.In'ThePostcolonialPerverse,'J.NeilC.Garciarendersanuancedreadingofboththe
FilipinonationandFedericoLicsiEspinoJr.'sLumpen,anovelwhich,viaitspervertedcast
ofcharacters,inscribesatroubledcelebrationbothofitsownhybridityandthatofthe
Philippines.Garciasuggeststhathybridityitselfcanbeaperversion,whichinthe
postcolonialcontextsupportsandsubverts'normsthatmayormaynotcoverthefluid
calculusofgender,sexuality,nationalityandothermarkersofidentity.'Lumpenworksto
complicatethe'presumptivelyheterosexualand,notsurprisingly,nativist'representationsof
thenationincanonicalFilipinoliterature,representationsthatreducethecolonialPhilippines
toagrosslysimplifiedbinaryrelationshipbetweencoloniserandcolonised.Throughits
narrativeinterrogationoftheheterosexualpresumptionsofthe'institutionofmasculinity'that
undergirdstheFilipinonation,Garciawrites,'Lumpendrawsourattentiontotheperversion
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thatinheresbothintheFilipinoinstitutionofmasculinity,andintheinstitutionalised"notion"
oftheFilipinonationitself.'Ultimately,evenastheyrevelinthisinherentlyperversehybridity,
bothEspinoandGarcialong,onatleastonelevel,fora'whole(some)ness'thatcannever
beintheirpostcolonial(con)texts.

20.Transportingusfromliterarytomoreovertlytheoreticaltexts,in'EnduringVoices,'Katsuhiko
SuganumaperformsacontextualisedanalysisofthegroundbreakingworksofFushimi
NoriakiandKakefudaHiroko,twocentralfiguresin1990sJapaneselesbianandgay
theorisingandactivism,andassertstheir'continuingrelevance'tocontemporaryJapanese
lesbianandgaypolitics.Suganumaproductivelysidestepsadiscussionofthedegreeto
whichthewritingofthesekeyworksisrelatedtothedevelopmentofQueerTheory(aswell
aslesbianandgaytheories)intheWest,suggestinginsteadthatwhatisofgreatest
significanceishoweffectivelythesetextsinterrogatedandcontinuetomakesenseof
contemporaryJapanesegenderandsexualnorms.EvenasFushimiprovisionallyapplies
thelabel'gay'tohimself,heaimstodestabiliseandundothegenderbinarythatunderlies
theverypossibilityofgayidentity.Kakefuda'spersonalnarrativeofengagingwithwhatit
meansforherto'bea"lesbian"'issimilarlygroundedinwhattheconstructof'lesbian'
meansinJapanandherdesiretobreakfreefromthe'homoheterobinary.'WhileSuganuma
recognisesthatthesetextsdemonstrateacertain'theoreticalsynchronicity'withtheQueer
TheoryoftheWestanddoesnotdenythepossibilityofWesterninfluenceonthetwowriter
activists,heinsiststhatitisthecontextinwhichtheyemergednamely,ontheheelsoftwo
decadesoflesbianandgayactivismandonthecuspofa'gayboom'inJapanesepopular
culturethathavemadethemrelevanttothe1990sandtocontemporaryJapanesequeer
culture.

21.In'AnIntimateDialoguewithChanKwokChan,'DeniseTangcarriesustoHongKongand
tothecinematicrealm.TangoffersapersonalengagementwithlesbianfilmmakerYau
Ching'sHoYuk:Let'sLoveHongKong(2002)and,inhercontextualisationofthefilm,
explores'lesbianintimacies,disappearingcityspacesandmobilebodies'inacinematictext
whichdiegeticallyandthroughitsveryexistencestrugglesagainstlesbianinvisibilityin
HongKongandinHongKongcinema.Moreover,Tangargues,localqueercultural
productionssuchasHoYuk'havethepotentialtooverturnthedominanceofEuropeanand
AmericancinemainAsianqueercircuits.'Newcommunicationtechnologies,Tang
demonstrates,allowforand'mediate'verydifferentkindsoflesbianintimaciesthatliberate
lesbiandesireevenastheyimposeproximallimitsthereupon.Whiletherealmdepictedin
theHoYukwaslargelylimitedtothreeindividualsinthe(cyber)spaceofHongKong,Tang
suggeststhatasthesesametechnologiesalsoallowformuchbroaderconnections,they
enablethosewho'identifyasethnicallyChineseandqueer[to]connectwithother
queersalongthelinesofChineseness'inasphereofqueerChineseculturalexchange.

22.Theauthorsofthefollowingtwocontributionsengageincomparativecrossculturalstudies,
theformerbridgingEastandWestandthelattercomparingtwocountriesinSoutheastAsia.
Ratherthanfocusingprimarilyonculturalflowsorborrowing,thesepapersexplorehowsuch
comparativeworkcanilluminateaspectsoftheculturesbeingjuxtaposed.

23.In'AnalysingthePoliticsofSameSexIssuesinaComparativePerspective,'CarolJohnson
examinesthedeploymentbyformerMalaysianPrimeMinisterMahathirMohamadand
AustralianPrimeMinisterJohnHowardofhomosexualityasapoliticalandrhetoricaltool.
Johnsoncautionsthatinthistypeofcomparativeanalysisthatwecannotassumethat
genderandsexualconceptsandidentitypositionsareconsistentacross,aswellaswithin,
culturesandsheassertsthatthesedifferencesposea'needfornationallyandculturally
specificpoliticalstrategiesforbothdecriminalisationandrecognition.'Johnson'sinsightful
analysisofthediscursivestrategiesofMahathirandHowarddemonstratesthat,inspiteof
'significantdifferences'intermsofreligion,governmentandtheeconomy,forexample,there
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aresome'strangesimilarities'betweentheirpromotionofdiscoursesofheteronormativity.
Whiletherearealsoobviousdifferencesintermsofattitudestowardthelegalityof(male)
homosexualitynamelythatHowarddoesnotsupportcriminalisationwhileMahathirdid
JohnsonsuggeststhatLGBTQcommunitiesmayfindcommongroundinopposing'theways
inwhichconservativepoliticiansconstructheterosexualityastheonlylegitimateformof
citizenship.'

24.In'WhatMadeMeThisWay?'SamWintercomparesculturalandindividualunderstandings
oftransgenderismanditsoriginsinThailandandthePhilippines.Winterconsidershowthe
effectsofreligionnamely,TheravadaBuddhismandRomanCatholicism,which
respectivelypredominateintheregionsofThailandandthePhilippinesinwhichWinter
conductedhisresearchrelatetoculturalandindividualunderstandingsofthecauseof
transgenderismandthelikelihoodofindividualstoconsider(oratleastclaim)theirown
transgenderismtobeeithersomethinginnateortheresultoftheenvironmentinwhichthey
grewup.Moreover,whileWinterlinksreligiousandotherculturaldifferencestothe
probabilitythatatransgenderindividualwillchoosetosurgicallyalterherbodytocorrespond
withheridentityaswellasthattheprobabilitythatshewillseeaneedforpoliticalactivism,
heshowstherealityismorecomplexthansimplecausality.Moreimportantly,hissimpleand
yetpivotalquestion'Whatmademethisway?'andtheresponsesheelicitsinboth
countriesdemonstrateapracticablemeanstogetattheways'cultureinfluencesnotonly
howtheheteronormativemajorityviewsgendervariantpeople'andqueersingeneralbut
alsohowqueerindividuals'makesenseofthemselves.'

25.In'MagnusHirschfeld,'J.EdgarBauerprovidesacriticalreadingofGermansexologist
Hirschfeld'sWeltreiseeinesSexualforschers[Theworldjourneyofasexresearcher],
inscribingdetailsofhisearly1930s'worldtour'inwhichhevisitedJapan,China,Indonesia,
India,thePhilippines,EgyptandPalestine.Thisworkwaswritten'todocumentthediversity
ofsexualmoresHirschfeldmetduringhistrip'and'conveystheirfailuretocopewiththe
complexitiesofhumansexuality.'ForHirschfeld,neitherEastnorWestprovidedthegrounds
for'auniversallyvalidsexualmorality,'afactwhich'onlyscienceiscapableofgrasping.'
EvenasHirschfeldrejectedanynotionofaninherentsuperiorityoftheWestorofthe
modern,asBauerexplains,HirschfeldhadacomplexattitudeaboutAsia:hewastolerantif
notrespectfulofculturaldifferencesbuthighlycriticalofpracticesthathefeltintolerably
abusiveordebasingtowardwomen.Throughhis'doctrineofsexualintermediaries'[sexuelle
Zwischenstufenlehre],whichwasinformedbyhisadmittedlylimitedunderstandingofAsian
conceptualisationsofgenderandsexuality,Hirschfeld'anticipatedpresentdaydiscussions
onissuessuchasindividualityandcategorisations,natureandnurture,andessentialism
andconstruction'andprovideda'radicalalternative'tothepredominantnotionofthesexual
binary.Thus,BaueroffersHirschfeldupasafigurewhoisunderappreciatedforhis
relevancetocontemporaryGLBTQstudiesandQueerTheory.

26.Roundingthisissueandincrucialwaysrespondingtoandexpandinguponthethemeswe
addressedaboveandtheprojectsofotherarticles,in'QueeringAsia'AraWilsonoffers
'suggestiveillustrationsofanemergingresearchagendaforanalysingqueernessinrelation
tointraAsiancrossborder,transculturalandtransnationalprocesses.'Whileshedoesnot
denythesignificanceoftheculturalinfluenceofthequeerWestonqueerAsia,Wilson
assertsthatthereismuchproductivepotentialindecentringtheWestandfocusinginstead
on'howqueernessisconstitutedbyconditionsandflowswithin'Asia.Acknowledgingthe
productivenessandproblemswithbothturnstowardtheindigenouspastandpostcolonial
critiquesofWesternmodernityintheprojectofunsettlingthedominanceofWestern
understandingsofqueerinqueerAreaStudies,Wilsonproposesacritical'queer
regionalism'asa'heuristicandstrategicdevice'tounsettletheWesterndominancewithin
andbiasofQueerTheoryandQueerStudies.

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27.Followingthearticles,wearedelightedtoincludeaselectionofJ.NeilC.Garcia'sseries,
'PoemsfromAmsterdam,'inwhichGarciareflectsinaverypersonalandintimatemanner
onanumberofthemestakenupinotherwaysintherestofthisissue:fromthevaried
linkagesanddivisionsbetweenlocalandglobaltoflowsofculture,peopleandsex(uality)
totheimportanceofmemorytothelongingfor(a)home.

28.IntheArtsReviewssection,SubhashChandraexaminesIndianwriterManjuKapur'snovel
AMarriedWoman(2003)andconsiderswhetheritmightbedeemeda'lesbiannovel,'given
itsdepictionofemotionalandsexualbondbetweentwowomen.WhileKapur'swritinghas
woninternationalacclaim,inhisevaluationChandrasuggestsitisthemeaningofthetextin
theIndiancontextthatismostrelevant.ThisreviewisfollowedbyJyhWeeSew'sreviewof
BoxingCabaret,theonewomanshowofThaitranssexualkickboxerParinyaCharoenphol,
a.k.a.NongToom,inSingaporeinJune2005.ForSew,itisnottheeasewithwhichNong
Toomtraversesgendersorborders,buthowwellshecrossesoverintotheentertainment
businessthatwilldeterminehersuccessasaperformer.

29.Finally,weareverypleasedtobeabletoincludereviewsofadozenrecentacademicand
criticaltextswhichofferanideaoftheexpansivenessofAsianQueerStudies,including
workswhichfocusondiaspora,ethnography,film,history,literature,newtechnologiesand
politicalactivism.Wemustconfessacertainambivalenceaboutthefactthatmostofthe
worksweincludecomefrommajorUSandUKpublishers,includingprestigiousuniversity
presses.[24]While,ontheonehand,thisisyetanothersignofthegrowinginterestinand
risingstatusofAsianQueerStudies,thefactremainsthat,regardlessoftheirbackgrounds,
mostoftheauthorsandeditorsofthislatestroundofbooksonqueerAsianthemesare
basedataWesternuniversity.Thisisparticularlythecaseforbookspublishedbythemost
prestigiouspresses,whichare,inturn,mostlikelytopromotethebooksglobally.Ofcourse
affiliationwithaWesternuniversitydoesnotmakeoneaWesternscholar,andviceversa
indeed,assuggestedabove,inacademiccontextssuchasAsianQueerStudiesitis
becomingincreasinglydifficulttolinkaparticularscholarwithasinglenationality.Yet,the
currentpublicationsituationdoespointtotheongoinglackofinstitutionalsupportforqueer
studieswithinAsia.

30.Ourselectionofreviewedtextsalsobringsusbacktothelanguageissue.Wehaveincluded
areviewofaChineselanguagetext,whichallowsatleastasuggestionofthevitalqueer
scholarshipandcriticismbeingpublishedinalanguageotherthanEnglish.[25]Weare
certain,however,thatthereareotherrecentsignificantAsianqueerworkswritteninAsian
languageswhichwehavenotincludedinthisissueandofwhichwearenotevenaware.We
attributetheabsencehereofreviewsofmoresuchtextsinparttoourownlimitedlinguistic
abilityandthelimitedrangeofourownscholarship,butonastructurallevel,itisalsoa
productofthenatureofmostEnglishlanguagescholarlypublications.Whilethislinguistic
limitisamajorshortcomingintermsofrepresentingthetruebreadthofAsianQueer
Studies,wenotewithapprovalthatrecentscholarshiponqueerAsia,includingarticlesin
thisissueandbooksinthereviewsection,isincreasinglywrittenbyscholarsfromorwho
areintimatelyconnectedtotheregionbeingstudiedandwhomakesignificantuseoflocal
scholarship.

31.AsHelenHokSzeLeung'sreviewofYauChing'sXingbieguangying:xianggangdianying
zhongdexingyuxingbiewenhuayanjiu[Sexingshadows:gendersandsexualitiesinHong
Kongcinema]andSuganuma'sclosereadingofpioneeringJapaneselesbianandgaytexts,
bothinthisissue,demonstrate,thereismuchtobegainedfromanawarenessofthekinds
ofscholarlyandcriticalworksbeingpublishedinlanguagesotherthanEnglish.
AcknowledgingthefactthatnoscholarscanbecomeproficientinmorethanafewAsian
languagesandthefactthatitisunrealistictoexpectthatmostoftheseworkswillbe
translatedintoEnglishwhich,aswehavenoted,is,bydefault,thelinguafrancaofthefield
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wewouldliketoendwithacallformoreworkwhichaimsto,attheveryleast,critically
summariseandreviewtheseinvaluablequeerAsiantexts.Wefeelthatthisisavitalstep
towardamoreinclusiveAsianQueerStudies.


Endnotes

WewouldliketoexpressourgratitudetoeveryonewhohelpedtomakethisspecialissueofIntersectionsa
reality.Wearetrulythankfulforalltheindividualswhosubmittedarticles,includingthosewewereunableto
publish.Manythanksaswellgototheanonymousreviewersofthesecontributions.AsianQueerStudieshas
becomeafieldbecauseofeffortsbyindividualstostudyqueerAsianculturespastandpresentandthe
willingness,ifnoteagerness,ofscholarsengageinadialogueaboutthiswork.Wearealsoverygratefultothe
Bangkokconferenceorganisersforinvitingustoeditthiscollectionandformuchusefuladvice.Amongthem,
MarkMcLellandwasparticularlyhelpfulinsuggestingworkstobeincludedinthebookreviewsectionaswellas
helpingusfindtherightindividualstoreviewthem.Inaddition,wewouldliketothankDr.DayKitmuiWongfor
herinsightfulfeedbackonadraftofthisintroduction.Finally,ourhighestgratitudegoestotheeditorsof
Intersections,especiallyCarolynBrewer,whoprovidedseeminglyendlessguidanceandenthusiasmatevery
stepalongtheway.

[1]Approximatelyaquarterofthepaperspresentedattheconferenceweresubmittedtotheproceedingsandare
availableonline:'Paperspresented,'inPermanentArchiveofGenders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia:1st
InternationalConferenceofAsianQueerStudies,URL:http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/papers.php,accessed21
August2006.

[2]AdamCarr,'"I'mgaywhenI'mspeakingEnglish":sexualityandsexualidentityinIndonesia:aninterviewwith
DdOetomo,'intheconference'newspaper'for6thInternationalCongressonAIDSinAsiaandthePacific,
Melbourne,Australia,510October2001(8October2001):n.p.AninterviewwithOetomocanbefoundinJosko
Petkovic,'DdOetomotalksonReyogPonorogo,'Intersections:Gender,HistoryandCultureintheAsian
Context,2(May1999),accessed1October2006.

[3]Alistofconfirmedpapersasoftwomonthspriortotheconferencecanbefoundonline:'Confirmedpapers
andabstracts,'inPermanentArchiveofGenders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia,15May2005,URL:
http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/_documents/papers.pdf,ca.2005,accessed21August2006.Seealso'Papers
presented.'

[4]ThesequotescomefromthetoppageofPermanentArchiveofGenders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia,
URL:http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/,ca.2005,siteaccessed21August2006similarlanguagewasemployed
incirculatedcallsforpapersandotherpromotionalannouncementsfortheconference.

[5]Thesefiguresarebasedonannouncementsmadeattheconferenceaswellasalistofacceptedpapers
acceptedasof27January2005thatwasprovidedbyMarkMcLelland,oneoftheconferenceorganisers.See
also'HistoricconferenceofAsianqueerstudiesinBangkokattractsover500,'12July2005Fridae,URL:
http://fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=1476&viewarticle=1,accessed20October2005.

[6]FormoreondifficultiesinsertingAsiaintotheAmericandominateddiscourseonQueerStudies,seePeterA.
Jackson,FranMartin,MarkMcLelland,'Replacingqueerstudies:reflectionsontheQueerMattersconference
(King'sCollege,London,May2004),'InterAsiaCulturalStudies6(2)(2005):299311.

AsforresistancetothequeeringofAsianStudies,weofferasanexampletheextremepaucityofpaperson
queerthemesoverthepastdecadeatthearguablyconservativeAnnualMeetingofthe(American)Association
ofAsianStudiesasindicatedbyanexaminationoftheconferenceprogramsavailableonlinefrompastmeetings
since1995(see'AnnualMeetingsAbstracts,'AssociationforAsianStudies,URL:
http://www.aasianst.org/absts/main.htm,accessed8December2005).Itisnotablethatwhile'gender,''sex'and
'sexuality'ariseinpaperandpaneltitlesdozensoftimesoverthepastdecade,barelyahandfulsuggesttheyare
relatedtothemeswhicharegenerallysituatedwithinQueerStudies.InApril2006,JamesWelkerhada
discussionaboutthisvirtualabsencewithoneoftheleadersoftheorganisationattheAASAnnualMeetingin
SanFrancisco.Thisindividualproposedthattheabsenceofqueerscholarshipattheconferencewasprobablya
functionofalackofpeoplesubmittingproposals.Anecdotalevidencesuggests,however,thatanumberof
panelsonqueerAsianthemes,someofwhichincludedrelativelyprominentscholarsinAsianStudies,have
beenproposedandrejected.

Resistancetoqueerthemesisnotuniversalanditisarguablylessening,however.Thesuccessofthequeer
panelstreamsorganisedbythegroupAsiaPacifiQueerattheThirdInternationalConventionofAsiaScholars

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(ICAS3),heldinSingapore,1922August2003,helpedspurthe2005Bangkokconference,forinstance.See
'ReportonAsiaPacifiQueerparticipationatthe3rdInternationalConventionofAsiaScholars,Singapore,1923
August2003,'AsiaPacifiQueer,URL:http://apq.anu.edu.au/archive/APQ@ICAS3report.html,n.d.,siteaccessed
20August2006andJackson,Martin,andMcLelland,'Replacingqueerstudies,'pp.299300.Moreover,
anecdotalevidencesuggestsagenerallyincreasingnumberofpapersandpanelsonqueerthemesatregional
andinternationalAsianStudiesconferences.Theextenttowhichthisrepresentsqueerscholarshipbeing
conductedbyindividualsworkingatandbeingsupportedbyAsianacademicinstitutionsisunclear,however.

[7]'Thirdconferenceannouncement,'emailmessagefromtheConferenceCommitteetoindividualswho
submittedproposalsorwereotherwiseinvolvedintheconference,30January2005.

[8]TeresadeLauretis,'Queertheory:lesbianandgaysexualities:anintroduction,'indifferences:AJournalof
FeministCulturalStudies3(2)(1991):iiixviii,pp.iii,iv.

[9]Sexualities,Genders,andRightsinAsia:1stInternationalConferenceonAsianQueerStudies,Conference
Programme,79July2005,Bangkok,Thailand,p.2.Seealsotheconferencewebsite,PermanentArchiveof
Genders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia.

[10]TomBoellstorffandWilliamLeap,'Introduction:globalizationand"new"articulationsofsamesexdesire,'in
SpeakinginQueerTongues:GlobalizationandGayLanguage,ed.WilliamLeapandTomBoellstorff,Urbanaand
Chicago:UniversityofIllinoisPress,2004,pp.121,pp.12.

[11]JosephineHo,'IsglobalgovernancebadforAsianqueers?'KeynoteAddress,reproducedinSexualities,
GendersandRightsinAsia,ConferenceProgramme,pp.14961,p.161.

[12]SeeBoellstorffandLeap,'Introduction.'

[13]SeeTomBoellstorff,'"Authentic,ofcourse!":gaylanguageinIndonesiaandculturesofbelonging,'in
SpeakinginQueerTongues,ed.LeapandBoellstorff,pp.181201PeterA.Jackson,'Gayadaptation,tomdee
resistance,andkathoeyindifference:Thailand'sgender/sexminoritiesandtheepisodicallureofqueerEnglish,'in
LeapandBoellstorff,SpeakinginQueerTongues,pp.202230andBeverleyCurranandJamesWelker,'From
TheWellofLonelinesstotheakaruirezubian:westerntranslationsandlesbianidentities,'inGenders,
TransgendersandSexualitiesinJapan,ed.MarkMcLellandandRomitDasgupta,London:Routledge,2005,pp.
6580.

[14]ForahistoryofterminologyrelatingtosamesexdesireandtransgenderbehavioursandidentitiesinJapan,
seeMarkMcLelland,QueerJapanfromthePacificWartotheInternetAge,Lanham,Maryland:Rowman&
Littlefield,2005andGregoryM.Pflugfelder,CartographiesofDesire:MaleMaleSexualityinJapanese
Discourse,16001950,Berkeley,LosAngeles,andLondon:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1999.

[15]ForanexampleoftheshiftingmeaningofAsiainoneAsianlocation,seeSunGe'sexaminationofAsiaas
constructedwithinJapaneseintellectualhistoryinher'HowdoesAsiamean?,'trans.HuiShiuLunandLau
Kinchi,inInterAsiaCulturalStudies1(1)(2000):1347.

[16]Thepaperbreakdownbasedontopicisasfollows:Asiandiaspora:11generalAsia20Asianinterregional
issues:10crossregionaldialogues:3CentralAsia:Uzbekistan1EastAsia:Chinageneral8,China
mainland10,HongKong14,Taiwan13,(GreaterChinatotal45),Japan22,Korea4(EastAsiatotal71)South
AsiaBangladesh1,India17,Pakistan1,(SouthAsiatotal19)SoutheastAsia:Cambodia1,Indonesia4,
Malaysia7,ThePhilippines16,Singapore2,Thailand14plus7Thailanguagepanelswiththreetosix
participants,Vietnam3(SoutheastAsiatotal47)WestAsia:General1Iran1(WestAsiatotal2).Wearerelying
hereonalistofpapersformallyacceptedasof27January2005providedbyMarkMcLelland,oneofthe
conferenceorganisers,ratherthanthefinalprogramasfinancialandotherreasonskeptatleasttwentypeople
fromattending.Whilealargenumberofscholarshipsweregiven,thefinallistmaybesomewhatbiasedinfavour
ofindividualswhowereablefundtheirattendanceeitherwiththeirownmoneyorthroughaninstitutionintheir
owncountry.ThisbreakdownisasitwasintheinformationprovidedtousbyMcLellandregionswereindicated
bythepresentersthemselvesatthetimetheysubmittedproposals.

[17]McLelland,QueerJapan,pp.58.

[18]See'AboutAPQ,'ontheAsiaPacifiQueerwebsite,URL:http://apq.anu.edu.au/about.php,siteaccessed10
September2005.

[19]SeeJackson,Martin,andMcLelland,'Replacingqueerstudies,'pp.299300.Seealso'Backgroundto
AsiaPacifiQueer'sroleintheconference'intheconferenceprogramforSexualities,Genders,andRightsinAsia,
pp.545.
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[20]Jackson,Martin,andMcLelland,'Replacingqueerstudies,'pp.299,303.

[21]Forinstance,atwodayseminaronorganisingfemaletongzhicommunityinChina,Zhongguodaluntong
shequgongzuoyantaohui(SeminaroncommunitybuildingoffemaletongzhiinChina),washeldinBeijingon
June2425,2005,withcommunityleadersandresearcherscomingfrommorethanadozenmajorcitiesinChina,
aswellasfromHongKongandTaiwan.In2006and2007,conferences,seminars,screeningsandlectureson
homosexuality,sexualhealthorsexualityingeneralhavebeenheldandareplannedatvariousuniversitiesin
China.

[22]See'Conferencelanguagepolicy,'PermanentArchiveofGenders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia,URL:
http://bangkok2005.anu.edu.au/language.php,siteaccessed10December2005.LinkstositesinChinese,
JapaneseandThaiwereavailableontheconferencewebsiteandaremaintainedonthePermanentArchiveof
Genders,Sexualities,andRightsinAsia.ItisprobablyalsonotcoincidentalthatcoreAPQmembersPeter
Jackson,FranMartinandMarkMcLelland'sownresearchfocusesonThailand,TaiwanandJapan,respectively.

[23]Volunteerswere,however,availabletointerpretintoEnglishtofacilitateattendanceofnonThaispeakersat
theThailanguagepanels.

[24]Thereare,however,otherrecentbookswhichwerereviewedinrecentissuesofIntersectionsandhenceare
notincludedinthisissue.Forbookswithsignificantqueercontentpublishedinthepastthreeyearsandreviewed
inIntersections,seeMarkMcLelland'sreviewofWilliamLeapandTomBoellstorff(eds),SpeakinginQueer
TonguesGlobalizationandGayLanguage,Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,2004,inIntersections11,(August
2005),accessed21August2006KamLouie'sreviewofFranMartin,SituatingSexualities:Queer
RepresentationinTaiwaneseFiction,FilmandPublicCulture,HongKong:HongKongUniversityPress,2003,in
Intersections10(August2004),accessed21August2006SharynGraham'sreviewofTehYikKoon,TheMak
Nyahs:MalaysianMaletoFemaleTranssexuals,Singapore:EasternUniversitiesPress,2002,inIntersections
10(August2004),accessed21August2006andMarkMcLelland'sreviewofTagameGengoroh(compiled),Gay
EroticArtinJapan:ArtistsfromtheTimeoftheBirthofGayMagazines,Englishtrans.KitajimaYuji,Tokyo:
Pottoshuppan,2003,inIntersections10(August2004),accessed21August2006.Reviewsofearlierbooksin
EnglishonqueerAsianthemescanbefoundinissues2,510.

[25]AreviewofaJapaneselanguagequeertextcanbefoundinissue12ofthisjournal.SeeNanetteGottlieb's
reviewofFushimiNoriaki,MatsuzawaKureichi,KurokawaNoboyuki,YamanakaToshio,OikawaKenji,and
NoguchiKatsuz,'Okama'wasabetsuka:'ShkanKinybinosabetsuhygenjiken[Does'okama'have
discriminatoryconnotations?ThediscriminatingexpressioncaseintheweeklymagazineShkanKinybi],
Tokyo,PottoPublishing,2002,inIntersections12(January2006),accessed25August2006.

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