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Transgender Representation by the People’s Daily Since 1949

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Abstract

With a focus on Chinese literature of the dynastic period, previous studies on transgender representation in China demonstrated a dichotomy between the attitude of the uppermost class and that of the general public. Apart from literature representation, other studies on “deviant” sexuality in contemporary China tend to attribute this complicated attitude to the non-religious Confucianism-rooted culture that is tolerant yet intolerant. Especially since China entered socialism, this complexity was incorporated into socialist ideologies, leading to unique and distinctive treatment of sexual “deviance”. By examining transgender representation by the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Daily, this study aims to disclose how sexual “deviance” has been regulated throughout the decades, how gender ideology changes over time under the influence of political, cultural and technological factors, and how a transgender identity was dismantled or facilitated by these factors in turn.

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Notes

  1. See Zhang Zaizhou’s collection of historical documentation, pp. 505–651.

  2. Another report announced the first transgender marriage was at the end of 2003. http://hunan.voc.com.cn/gb/content/2004-01/21/content_2299153.htm.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing, China

    Qing Fei Zhang

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  1. Qing Fei Zhang
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Correspondence to Qing Fei Zhang.

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Zhang, Q.F. Transgender Representation by the People’s Daily Since 1949. Sexuality & Culture 18, 180–195 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-013-9184-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-013-9184-3

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