LGBT Older Adults at a Crossroads in Mainland China: The Intersections of Stigma, Cultural Values, and Structural Changes Within a Shifting Context

Abstract

In this article, we explore the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults in mainland China, with an emphasis on the shifting nature of the cultural context. Based on a culturally informed perspective, the intersection of LGBT stigma with cultural values (familial responsibility, filial piety, and loss of face) and larger structural changes (the aftermath of the one-child policy, economic reforms and globalization, LGBT human rights, and HIV policies) are creating dramatic shifts in Chinese society and impacting the lives of LGBT older adults. The increasing prevalence of HIV among gay and bisexual older men, although rarely acknowledged, is also contributing to challenges facing LGBT older adults and their families. These changes render LGBT older adults and those living with HIV and their caregivers at risk of economic insecurity. Resilience and resistance of LGBT older adults in China must be considered in both practice and policy to strengthen LGBT human rights globally.

Intersectionality of stigmas and health-related quality of life in people ageing with HIV in China, Europe, and Latin America

“…Perceived discrimination was associated with cognitive impairment, and this association is mediated by depression, anxiety, and social isolation. 55,56 Additionally, although no primary data specific to older LGBT people with HIV were available, Hua and colleagues 57 reviewed the invisibility of LGBT older adults in mainland China from the perspective of stigma and the shifting nature of cultural values (familial responsibility, filial piety, and loss of face) and structural context (policy and economic reforms, globalisation, human rights, and HIV policies) with a sub-focus on HIV, and highlighted the added discrimination and potential economic insecurity faced by LGBT people with HIV. 57 In Europe, HIV-related stigma was described as the most important factor affecting the lives of older people with HIV in the UK.…”

“…55,56 Additionally, although no primary data specific to older LGBT people with HIV were available, Hua and colleagues 57 reviewed the invisibility of LGBT older adults in mainland China from the perspective of stigma and the shifting nature of cultural values (familial responsibility, filial piety, and loss of face) and structural context (policy and economic reforms, globalisation, human rights, and HIV policies) with a sub-focus on HIV, and highlighted the added discrimination and potential economic insecurity faced by LGBT people with HIV. 57 In Europe, HIV-related stigma was described as the most important factor affecting the lives of older people with HIV in the UK. 58 A study in Switzerland, in which most study participants had disclosed their HIV status to others, found that the perception of HIV-related discrimination decreased with increasing age.…”

The health and well-being of LGBTQ people in mainland China: The role of social work

“…Stigma and social pressures from family members to get married and have children to protect family reputation and lineage are strong (Feng et al, 2010). These pressures are thought to directly stem from family policies that have shaped contemporary Chinese society (Hua et al, 2019). For example, the one-child policy coupled with an increasing aging population may exacerbate homophobia and transphobia, as same-sex relationships or gender nonconformity are commonly thought to undermine Chinese families and society (Cheng, 2018).…”

Speech After Long Silence—An Appraisee-Based Comprehensive Analysis With Retrospective and Future Perspectives on Current ID Policy of Transpersons in China

“…In China, the government takes a vague stance on lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI). As one of the most populous countries around the world, China provides a significant base of the world's largest LGBTI community ( 1 , 2 ). Despite a huge number of LGBTI in China (an estimate of 50–70 million population according to the seventh national population census of China), both state and local governments have chosen to distance themselves from those social issues in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity, holding a neutral attitude ( 3 ).…”