Week 8_Analei Garcia_A01

Analei Garcia
Section A01
Week 8

In “Teaching Justice and Living Peace: Body, Sexuality, and Religious Education in Asian American Communities”, Boyoung Lee talks about the taboo regarding sexuality and how it relates to many traditional Asian families values. Lee mentions that in Confucian traditions, homosexuality has a close relation with the female sexuality and body image. Femininity is seen as a downfall, as there are many expectations females have to follow, including the expectations to obey the male in the family. Moreover, Confucian traditions place gender expectations on men as well, including the expectation to be a gentlemen. Being a gentlemen calls upon men to “live for the well-being of others” (411). Thus, an individual’s life is meant to serve the community. Sex is not supposed to be used as a medium to receive pleasure, but for the purpose of procreation. Therefore, with this mindset, homosexuality implies that sex between two people is done with the purpose of personal pleasure and not to have children.
It is very interesting to learn about why homosexuality is not embraced in some cultures. However, I also find it very sad to know that many people have to hide a part of their identity in order to be accepted by their families. Also, it is also very disheartening to hear that many families will go as far as disowning their child because of their sexuality. As a result, the child is forced to either suppress a part of who they are or not be part of their family. This can create a lot of inner conflict and lead to a life of bitterness and sadness. I think there should be more Asian American LGBTQ+ resources that can help people cope with the obstacles of traditional thinking and family pressures. I also hope that families can be more open to talking about homosexuality.

Question: How can we create resources for Asian American LGBTQ+ youth? How can we make it a safe place for Asian American youth to come, without worrying about their families’ opinions/thoughts? 

Works Cited: 

Davidson, A. (2013, October 29). New Resource Launched for Asian and Pacific Islander LGBT Youth and Their Parents. Retrieved from https://www.advocate.com/parenting/2013/10/29/new-resource-launched-asian-and-pacific-islander-lgbt-youth-and-their-parents 

Lee, B. (2006). Teaching justice and living peace: body, sexuality, and religious education in Asian-American communities. Religious Education, 101(3), 402-419.