Grind your way out : the construction of hegemonic homosexuality among Hong Kong young Grindr users

Abstract

Employing a qualitative method and a mixed theoretical lens of social constructionism and queer theory, this study examines the construction of hegemonic homosexuality amid the prevalence of Grindr – a dating app targeting gay users – in Hong Kong. I use the term hegemonic homosexuality to conceptualize the hegemony of certain gay practices, identities, and subjectivities that are constructed in relation to masculinity and sexuality. With 224 Grindr profiles collected and 20 semi-structured interviews conducted between 2020 and 2021, I argue that while the gay community is often assumed to be a homogenous social group, the prevalence of dating apps along with the neoliberal notion of “personal preferences” has facilitated the formation of a hierarchy that is based on body type and gender performance. Consequently, through conforming to the heteronormativity, sissy, fat, and unhealthy gay bodies are often subordinated to the “straight-acting”, muscular and healthy gay men by being considered romantically and sexually “undesirable”. The power relationships among gay men with different bodily and gender presentations are founded upon the normative structure of hegemonic homosexuality. The construction and reproduction of the hegemony predominantly mirror that of the hegemonic masculinity, constantly rewarding gender and sexual performance that adheres to the heterosexual masculine norms. The data also reveal that individual users adopt different strategies and mechanisms in response to the hegemonic homosexuality, including negotiating and resisting the normativity. While the resistance is not highly evident, it suggests the users’ potential in manifesting their agency and effecting structural changes in this digital space. Therefore, a dialectic understanding between the structure and agency can capture a more comprehensive picture of the power relations embedded in Grindr. I conclude the thesis by suggesting that whereas the notion of equality between gay and straight men has been manifested for several decades, the Hong Kong gay community should also focus on the empowerment of marginalized gay men who are labeled as “undesirable”.