Body Modification in Homosexual Arts

Abstract

In the patriarchal society throughout human history, women and queers have been discriminated against. They are minority with little power. Many feminists claim that women could not take control of their body, safety, and have been objectified and controlled in every way of their everyday life.6 Further to that, Queers have also suffered from hostility, discrimination and have been seen as deviants of the society for a long time in history.6 In China, a rise of strong “Tong Zhi” community has been observed. Pertinent to that, practices such as Sadomasochism (S&M) and body modifications have gained much popularity. Body modifications such as piercing, tattooing and neck rings will be discussed in the following essay outlining its significance in empowering identity and establishing one's membership in an alternate community. Theoretically, queer theory can be applied in the understanding of heterosexuality in the context of China. In examining the identity issues, the example of using masks is highly relevant. Multiple elements involved in the discussion of heterosexual community can be transferred to the aesthetical practices of the homosexual community, illustrating the argument that identity is largely a social construction, in which homosexuals have space to be empowered and to rebel. Under the control of communism, homosexuality is repressed and less recognized. China can be seen as a heteronormative country. A word coined by Warner (1993), heteronormativity is an organizing principle of social life that assumes desire, sexual practice and identity are universally heterosexual. This normalcy can only be understood in relation to its other, deviancy (Britzman, 1998). In constructing the normativity in heterosexuality, inevitably, the idea of homosexuality can be cast as less than normal. However, this normalcy-deviancy relationship is not the only explanation. Heterosexuality could be the product of homosexuality and they could also be within the same conceptual framework. Foucault recognized that no opposition exists in isolation.8 The mutually dependent and antagonising terms are words like strong/weak, active/passive, rational/emotional and so on8. This dominance versus inferior concept can be attributed to tradition and thus the formation of a mainstream society. By using words such as deviancy and normalcy, the homosexual community may be reinforcing the idea of being a subordinate culture. For example, using phrases like ‘coming out’ amongst homosexuals is equivalent to recognizing the centrality of heterosexuality and reinforcing the marginality of those in the closet. These together, explain the current heteronomativity and the labelling of homosexual as deviant.