Perspectives of Same-Sex Sexualities and Self-Harm Among Service Providers and Teachers in Hong Kong

Abstract

This research study investigates the perspectives of service providers in working with Chinese lesbian and gay youth in Hong Kong secondary schools, and maps the relations between same-sex sexualities, religion, education, self-harm and suicide prevention. Service providers included secondary school teachers, social workers based on and off school sites, and lesbian/transgender activists working in non-government organizations serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. By studying the level of acceptance and tolerance of same-sex sexualities in schools, this study aims to provide further understanding into Hong Kong youth issues and to highlight the connections between deliberate self-harm behaviour, suicide ideation and being a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Using a qualitative approach, sixteen in-depth interviews have been conducted with service providers and extensive participant observation was carried out as fieldwork for this ethnographic study. This presentation will address the methodological dilemmas in researching and evaluating LGBT youth self-harm and suicide prevention strategies. Discussion of research findings is comprised of four main themes: obstructive barriers to discussing sexualities in schools, personal disinclination and religion, being lesbian and gay as perceived to be susceptible to self-harm, similarities in perceptions of self-harmers and LGB youth.