Category: Gender, Sexuality and Culture
Redefining Masculinity in Korean Drama, Films and Music: Exploration of Dynamics of Fan Culture in Malaysia and Changing Gender Landscapes
As the ‘Hallyu’, or the Korean wave swept across the globe – it came with implications for how consumers of popular culture perceive and engage in the making or remaking of gender norms. It popularized the idea of ‘soft masculinity’, marking a major shift from the filmic hegemonic representations of gender in Hollywood and Bollywood …
Journey of Denial, Acceptance and Transformation: Discovering Meaning in Han Kang’s ‘The Vegetarian’
The term “trauma” pertains to events or circumstances that elicit significant emotional distress. It surpasses an individual’s capacity to handle the situation and causes them to feel powerless. Trauma thus affects an individual’s identity and is highly personal, being shaped by various elements. The Protagonist Yeong-hye in Han-Kang’s novel The Vegetarian (2007) defies societal norms …
Gender, Body, and Sexuality in Iran: Between Nationalism and Islamism
This article investigates the complex dynamics of gender, body, and sexuality in Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan, shaped by nationalist and Islamist political systems. It traces the historical changes in these countries, from the Qajar dynasty to the Islamic Regime in Iran, the Ottoman Empire to political Islam in Turkey, and the impact of Soviet occupation, …
Kamala Harris in Ghana and the LGBT Agenda: An Analysis of Media Coverages of the Issue
During Kamala Harris’ recent visit to Ghana, the issue of the rights of people who identify as LGBT in Ghana was raised at a joint press conference with the President of Ghana. At the conference, Kamala Harris commented on protecting the rights of people who identify as LGBT in Ghana. Her comments, which caught a …
Butoh: Sex and Gender Deconstructed in Brazilian Body Practices
The following paper elaborates an analysis of the Butoh practice. Butoh’s aesthetics and body knowledge have become part of the cultural studies. Many artists and performers today use Butoh as a dissent practice of gender and sexuality. It is intended to present the work of the Brazilian artist Mogli Saura, creator of Kaos Butoh: a …
Journalists’ Arrest in Morocco: Censorship or Criminalization of Violence Against Women?
In recent years, Morocco has witnessed trials that dangerously intertwine sex and politics. Notably, several journalists have been sentenced to prison for charges including human trafficking, abuse of power for sexual purposes, rape, adultery, or prostitution. Consequently, these trials have plunged a segment of the Moroccan population into a moral conflict: whether to support the …
“Power Generation With Love”: Traffic Factory Girl and Mum-fan’s Maternal Love
“Mum-fan”, a phenomenon in Chinese fandom, stands for those who consider themselves to be their idol’s mother. Mum-fans, range in age from under 18 to over 45, dedicate themselves to their idols’ career shown through “maternal love” through various “daily baby-rearing activities”. Most of these activities aim to increase traffic -a kind of quantified influence …
Sexual Communication in Heterosexual and Non-Heterosexual Young Adults: Seeking the Importance of Perceived Social Support
Many people still feel uneasy to talk about sex and sexuality as they are sensitive and still much stigmatized topics. Especially non-heterosexual individuals as compared to heterosexual counterparts tend to have difficulty when disclosing their sexual concerns due to sexual stigma. However, studies show the more social support people have, the more likely they are …
(En)Gendering Colonial Masculinities in Rabindranath Tagore’s Novels
Colonial India of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was a period of monumental changes. The nation’s tryst with imperialism propelled a socio-cultural upheaval that impacted the affairs of the private and the public alike. Nevertheless, the repercussions were not homogenously experienced by all. The nation’s men were confronted with a public overridden with …
The Exchange of Men in Mary Chin’s ‘The Woman in Kenzo’
The Woman in Kenzo is a Hong Kong popular fiction written by Mary Chin. It was first serialized in City Magazine in 1977. Its debut appearance in this forerunner of local lifestyle magazine and the inclusion of a luxury fashion brand in the title make apparent of the novel’s depiction of consumer culture and the …
From Gender Binary to Diversity: The Image of the Prophet in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America as a Stimulus to Discuss Gender Issues in Catholic Theology
A theatrical play Angels in America. A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by an American playwright Tony Kushner was broadcast in 60 countries and 2500 cinemas around the world at the National Theatre Live Edition in 2017. The main character, Prior Walter, who suffers from AIDS, is a young New Yorker and a gay. The …
A Shifting Gender Regime in Contemporary China? Fans’ Queer Readings of the Film Ne Zha
The animation film Ne Zha was a hit in the summer of 2019 in Chinese cyberspace. The film generated a lot discussion and user generated content from online fans. This is due largely to the film’s nuanced depiction of the relationship between its protagonist Ne Zha and his friend/enemy, Ao Bing. The homosocial/homoerotic undertone in …