Doing Gender and The Retaliation of Confrontational Interactions: A Case Study of Gay Community in Thailand
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Abstract
Homosexual people in Thailand have encountered a myriad of cumbersome circumstances in several settings regarding gendered expectations and stereotypes, albeit the reputation of a homosexuality-friendly country. Engendered in pop culture and intergenerational discourse, these gendered expectations and stereotypes are enforced among Thai gay people in their daily routines. These constructs conceive a gendered boundary between heterosexuality and homosexuality and gender inequality in society. Consequently, this research analyzes the concept of "doing gender" and the structural framework that Risman (2004) elaborated to illustrate the 'local' interactions of Thai gay people. Including their confrontational interactions in the heteronormative norms, manifestations, people's praxis, and response to gendered expectations and stereotypes. This study uses a semi-structured interview of 13 Thai gay people who have encountered gendered expectations and stereotypes. Their lived experiences for years elucidate the gender structure in Thailand. The results portray that Thai gay people are "doing gender" in their daily routines regardless of age, domicile, occupation, and educational background. They conform and perform distinctive social characteristics, activities, and aptitudes according to their sexual orientation. Nonetheless, to retaliate against confrontational interactions of gender, the informants react on accounts of negligence and contention.
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