Migrant Allies and Sexual Remittances: How International Students Change the Sexual Attitudes of Those Who Remain Behind

Abstract

How does moving from a sexually conservative country to a liberal one alter the way international students think about homosexuality and same-sex rights, and how does this impact their communities back home? Drawing on survey data with 90 heterosexual Singaporean students studying at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, as well as interview data with 17 students and 14 of their family members and friends who remained in Singapore, this study finds that despite having a broad spectrum of prior opinions, the majority of the student participants acquired increasingly accepting sexual attitudes after their relocation. Furthermore, many of them send these new conceptions as “sexual remittances” to their originating communities, changing the values of those who remain behind. This study helps lay the groundwork for further investigations of how engagements among international students and their social networks can contribute to evolving understandings of transnational sexuality and the globalization of culture.

Queer students in international higher education: a review of distinct motivations, considerations, and challenges

“…On the other hand, there are multiple unique factors that pull queer students to study in a new country. Several studies mentioned the openness and welcoming of multicultural and gay-friendly communities and progressive human rights policies (Lo et al, 2022;Wang, 2022). It is in these communities that queer international students believe they can "find themselves," live freely, and feel safe (Nguyen et al, 2017).…”

“…At the meso level, queer international student identity development depends on interaction with university campus life and related communities, such as friends (Evans, 2017), student clubs (Duran & Thach, 2018), religious communities (Adeyemo, 2019), and family and relatives at home (Wang, 2022). Overall, students' identities were mostly shown to be sources of conflict for many of the communities they interacted with (Dos Santos, 2022;Duran & Thach, 2018;Michl et al, 2019;Oba & Pope, 2013).…”

“…For queer students, going abroad introduces some unique considerations. First, queer students are looking for welcoming, multicultural, and LGBTQIA + -friendly communities in places with progressive human rights policies (Wang, 2022;Yu, 2021) and open internship placements and host families (Donahue & Wise, 2021). The cultures and values within these communities may have greater significance for queer students than for other international students.…”

“…Moreover, while pursuing overseas education, queer students develop and refine their identities and form new relationships, both on campus and in host communities. Wang (2022) noted how these new environments can be more welcoming and inclusive than those at home. Yu (2021) highlighted how gay students may find peers and local gay communities for support.…”