Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Toward Social Inclusion

Participatory Action Research (PAR) with Older Gay Men in Hong Kong

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Social Inclusion

  • 51 Accesses

Abstract

Gay & Grey is a self-help mutual support group for older (60+) gay men in Hong Kong that was established in 2014. The group was a direct outcome of participatory action research (PAR) conducted by the second author. This chapter employs PAR to examine the growth of Gay & Grey over the past 2 years. It analyzes the process of participation and transformation among various parties, ranging from Gay & Grey’s core members to volunteers, allies, researchers, social work and medical professionals, and the general public, leading in the direction of social inclusion. Through a number of examples such as Gay & Grey’s 5th anniversary celebration, a postcard project, a video project, and a fundraising event for a film premiere (Suk Suk), the chapter demonstrates the power of PAR to not only enhance individual empowerment but also to transform public awareness and understanding of aging sexuality. The chapter concludes that PAR has the transformative potential to achieve the goal of social inclusion even under various societal and structural constraints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allman, D. (2013). The sociology of social inclusion. SAGE Open, 3(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012471957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin, M. (2012). Participatory action research. In M. Gray, J. Midgley, & S. A. Webb (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of social work (pp. 467–481). London: SAGE.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Brydon-Miller, M., Greenwood, D., & Maguire, P. (2003). Why action research? London: SAGE.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chow, N. W. S. (2000). Ageing in Hong Kong. In D. R. Philips (Ed.), Ageing in the Asia-Pacific region: Issues, policies and future trends (pp. 158–173). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connolly, M. (2018). Liberating the screen: Gay and lesbian protests of LGBT cinematic representation, 1969–1974. Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, 57(2), 66–88. https://doi.org/10.1353/cj.2018.0003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cronin, A., & King, A. (2010). Power, inequality and identification: Exploring diversity and intersectionality amongst older LGB adults. Sociology, 44(5), 876–892. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038510375738.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • David, E. A., & McCaughan, E. J. (2006). Editors’ introduction: Art, power, and social change. Social Justice, 33(2), 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dendrinos, M. L., Budrys, N. M., & Sangha, R. (2019). Addressing the needs of transgender patients: How gynecologists can partner in their care. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 74(1), 33–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fish, J. (2017). Navigating queer street: Researching the intersections of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) identities in health research. Sociological Research Online, 13(1), 104–115. https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.1652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granjon, F. (2011). Activist cinema in the 1970s (France). In J. D. Downing (Ed.), Encyclopedia of social movement media (pp. 1–3). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guittar, N. A. (2013). The Queer apologetic: Explaining the use of bisexuality as a transitional identity. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(2), 166–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2013.781975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hare, I. (2004). Defining social work for the 21st century: The International Federation of Social Workers’ revised definition of social work. International Social Work, 47(3), 407–424. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872804043973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herek, G. M. (1996). Heterosexism and homophobia. In R. P. Cabaj & T. S. Stein (Eds.), Textbook of homosexuality and mental health (pp. 101–113). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, D. B., & Willoughby, B. L. (2005). The development and validation of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale. Sex Roles, 53(7–8), 531–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-7140-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jen, S. (2019). Bisexuality and ageing: Striving for social justice. In S. Westwood (Ed.), Ageing, diversity and equality: Social justice perspectives (pp. 131–146). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kindon, S., Pain, R., & Kesby, M. (Eds.). (2007). Participatory action research approaches and methods. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, A. (2016). Older lesbian, gay and bisexual adults: Identities, intersections and institutions. London: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, T. S. K. (2012). A fading tongzhi heterotopia: Hong Kong older gay men’s use of spaces. Sexualities, 15(8), 896–916. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460712459308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong T. S. K. (2014). Oral history of older gay men in Hong Kong (男男正傳:香港年長男同志口述史). Hong Kong: Stepforward Multimedia. [In Chinese].

    Google Scholar 

  • Kong, T. S. K. (2018). Gay and grey: Participatory action research in Hong Kong. Qualitative Research, 18(3), 257–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794117713057.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, T. S. K. (2019). Oral histories of older gay men in Hong Kong: Unspoken but unforgotten. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, T. S. K., Lau, S. H., & Li, C. Y. (2015). The fourth wave? A critical reflection on the tongzhi movement in Hong Kong. In M. McLelland & V. Mackie (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sexuality studies in East Asia (pp. 188–201). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liebenberg, L. (2018). Thinking critically about photovoice: Achieving empowerment and social change. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 17(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918757631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClintock, M. (1996). Lesbian baiting hurts all women. In K. Warren (Ed.), Women’s voices in experiential education (pp. 241–250). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta, K. K. (2014). Active ageing in Singapore. In A. Walker & C. Aspalter (Eds.), Active ageing in Asia (pp. 151–164). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramos-Pibernus, A. G., Rodríguez-Madera, S. L., Padilla, M., Varas-Díaz, N., & Vargas Molina, R. (2016). Intersections and evolution of ‘butch-trans’ categories in Puerto Rico: Needs and barriers of an invisible population. Global Public Health, 11(7–8), 966–980. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2016.1180703.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (Eds.). (2007). The SAGE handbook of action research. London: SAGE Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redman, D. (2012). Can intergenerational connection battle ageism within the LGBT community? Aging Today, 33(2), 4. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.eduhk.hk/docview/930425254?accountid=11441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, P. (2003). Coming out, fitting in: The personal narratives of some Irish gay men. Irish Journal of Sociology, 12(2), 68–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schuster, M. A., Reisner, S. L., & Onorato, S. E. (2016). Beyond bathrooms – Meeting the health needs of transgender people. The New England Journal of Medicine, 375(2), 101–103. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1605912.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, P. (2013). Alienation, ambivalence, agency: Middle-aged gay men and ageism in Manchester’s gay village. Sexualities, 16(3–4), 283–299. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460713481734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stormhøj, C. (2018). Still much to be achieved: Intersecting regimes of oppression, social critique, and ‘thick’ justice for lesbian and gay people. Sexualities, 22(7–8), 1309–1324. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460718790873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suk Suk (or Twilight’s Kiss). Directed by Ray Yeung. Hong Kong: New Voice Film Productions, 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tully, C. T. (2000). Lesbians, gays, and the empowerment perspective. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, C., & Burris, M. A. (1994). Empowerment through photo novella: Portraits of participation. Health Education Quarterly, 21, 171–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberg, G. (1972). Society and the healthy homosexual. New York: St. Martin’s.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Special Education and Counselling, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Barry M. W. Lee

  2. Department of Sociology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Travis S. K. Kong

Authors
  1. Barry M. W. Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Travis S. K. Kong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Travis S. K. Kong .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia

    Pranee Liamputtong

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Lee, B.M.W., Kong, T.S.K. (2021). Toward Social Inclusion. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Inclusion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48277-0_136-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48277-0_136-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-48277-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-48277-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation