Gaysians

     Homosexuality is a topic of continuous debate. While in recent years it has developed into an issue with which more individuals have become accepting of, there remain members of society who continue to have qualms with it. Unfortunately, within this realm of naysayers all too often fall the parents of individuals who are homosexual, which can cause familial conflict and hardship. Asian Americans, of course, are not exempt from this situation, for there does exist a sizeable homosexual community that like all other communities, faces similar challenges.

Perhaps the largest challenge in being gay or lesbian is the fear of acceptance; wondering what others’ opinions will be once such individuals have ‘come out’. It is a fear that prolongs the act of coming out, requiring time to gather the mental strength to admit to those around them of their sexuality. This is more than likely true for all of the homosexual community, ethnicity and race notwithstanding. Still, it is worth regarding what –or at least some of what- conditions make coming out in Asian American society a challenge. In this regard, maybe the largest challenge that presents itself is, as both noted by Tommy Tseng in a study of Chinese-Americans and Alice Y. Hom in Stories from the Homefront, a strong traditional adherence to male and female gender roles that is commonly expressed by many Asians. This traditional viewpoint where men are to be ‘men’ and women are to be ‘women’ creates discomfort with those who are gay or lesbian, as individuals within such relationships are seen to not follow tradition. Also a viewpoint noted by Tseng is an “ick” factor, which corresponds to any arguments that follow an “it just isn’t natural/doesn’t feel right” position. With such viewpoints regarding homosexuality, it is understandable how the matter of coming out can be seen as an insurmountable task for any Asian American facing it; one never knows how his/her parents will react to the news and whether or not they will be accepting and supportive further down the line.

At this point, I could turn this blog post into either a pro-gay or anti-gay post. However, I intend to do neither. Without explicitly offering my opinion on homosexuality in the Asian American community –or homosexuality in its entirety- what I will offer is this: things simply aren’t the way they were before. Times have changed, and people are more willing to go against societal norms in the pursuit of what they feel is acceptable. Homosexuality will always have its supporters and naysayers, but regardless of one’s sexual orientation, interpersonal dealings should always be respectful; something that really should not at all be hard to do.