Views about cooperative marriage among sexual minority and heterosexual Chinese international students

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveWe investigated heterosexual and nonheterosexual Chinese international students' views about cooperative marriages and romantic relationships.BackgroundCooperative marriages and romantic relationships are those in which two partners, one or both of whom self‐identify as nonheterosexual, consent and pretend to be a heterosexual couple as a means of relieving social pressures that require involvement in heterosexual relationships (Kam, 2013).MethodIn total, 265 Chinese international students (Mage = 23 years) participated in an online survey; 210 self‐identified as heterosexual and 55 as members of sexual minority groups.ResultsStudents who identified as members of sexual minority groups reported few aspirations and unfavorable attitudes toward cooperative marriages and relationships. Of the students identifying as members of sexual minority groups, those who envisioned future residence in foreign countries reported fewer aspirations for such relationships than their nonheterosexual peers who anticipated returning to China. Moreover, regardless of sexual identities, students who reported higher endorsement of traditional cultural values held less negative attitudes toward such relationships. For students who identified as members of sexual minority groups, stronger acculturation to the U.S. culture was associated with more negative attitudes toward such relationships.ConclusionOur study found that Chinese international students identifying as members of sexual minority groups held unfavorable views about cooperative marriage and it highlighted the role of transnational mobility and cultures in these views.ImplicationsOur study implied the importance of cultural responsiveness in how health practitioners could better support individuals of diverse sexual identities and cultural backgrounds.