Anthem Press Male Homosexuality in 21st-Century Thailand: A Longitudinal Study of Young, Rural, Same-Sex-Attracted Men Coming of Age (Anthem Studies in Sexuality, Gender and Culture)

Product Description This book presents the very first analysis of male homosexuality in modern rural Thailand that is based on sociological/anthropological research directly with 25 young same-sex attracted men. It explores changes in the way men view and describe their sexuality over time by interviewing them three times over a period of around 18 months. The men are followed during an important transition in their lives: the end of their high school years and the end (in most cases) of their life as a child with parents or extended family at a rural home. Nearly all decided to move to a city to continue their education or to find work. Some also had stints with sex work in one of Thailand’s well-known centers for prostitution. For nearly all men, this transition brought them into contact with new ideas about gender and sexuality, and many experienced an abrupt increase in their opportunities to have sex, leading to a readjustment of their moral universes. The book presents significant new insights about the Thai sex/gender system, particularly on how it is affected by processes of globalization and the ascent of the Internet and mobile phones as tools for dating and romance. Review “Research and scholarship on human sexuality have increased dramatically in the last 50 years in an era of rapid globalisation and changed with the development of critical sexuality studies as a field. Jan W. de Lind van Wijngaarden’s pathbreaking, in-depth study of male homosexuality among young men in modern Thailand as they move into young adulthood is a significant new contribution to our understanding of human sexuality. A must read.” ―Gary W. Dowsett, PhD, FASSA, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia“These fascinating stories of personhood, self-presentation, and transformation among Thai youth truly challenge us to reexamine the boundaries of concepts like homosexuality, transgenderism, identity, and love in the context of Thailand.” ―Timo Ojanen, Foreign Expert, Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, Thammasat University, Thailand Book Description Presents an analysis of male homosexuality in modern rural Thailand based on sociological/anthropological research directly with 25 young same-sex attracted men About the Author Dr. Jan W. de Lind van Wijngaarden has spent his professional life exploring, studying and advising on sexuality, gender and HIV vulnerability in Asia. He is academically trained in both public health (PhD, MPH) and social science (MA) and has several peer-reviewed publications in both fields. He has lived in Thailand for over 25 years.