Defining Difference: The "Scientific" Construction of Sexuality and Gender in the People's Republic of China

Abstract

Many academics and journalists hold that China has experienced a period of sexual liberation in recent years. Sex has come out of the shadows to gain unprecedented public prominence. Images of and information about sex are omnipresent. In light of this newfound commercialization of female sexuality in China in pornography and prostitution and publicity about sexual violence against women women have begun writing on issues of sexuality and gender in ways which suggest increasing interest in sexual autonomy. The author analyzes the meanings of sexuality in texts which consider it to be a natural biological phenomenon then examines the implications of those for the representation of womens sexual and gender attributes. Focus is given to discourse upon sexuality in the effort to identify a specific but important construction of womanhood which informed and continues to inform a range of official and popular discourses in China. Sections consider the 1950s official discourse on sexuality in historical and political context sex and reproduction sexual difference the dangers of male sexual excess sexual hygiene in menstruation and pregnancy and recent representations in perspective.