Racializing Classifications in Homosexual Encounters: Rice Queen as an Example

論文發表人:江河清 (加州州立大學洛杉磯分校人類學碩士班)

 

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「米皇后（rice queen）」一詞常被用來指稱喜歡亞洲人的非亞裔男同志。本文藉由檢視這一詞在男同志社群的使用與意涵，進而探討種族與情慾實踐的關連。米皇后的形象常常是負面的：相對於他們的亞裔伴侶，他們通常比較老、比較富裕，在情慾關係上也比較強勢；他們追求具異國風味的、年輕的、窮的、陰柔、馴服，甚至是女性化的亞洲男孩。於是他們權力身份不對等的伴侶關係也遭受許多質疑，被認為不如那些同種族、近年齡、相似社會經濟地位的同性伴侶關係。然而，我的研究首先指出在同志社群中米皇后一詞的使用說明了我們如何把人放置於一個種族化的身份位置上所進行的分類與情慾實踐；這樣的個人實踐維持並複製了既有的預設種族界線與階序。我的訪談資料顯示，這些被稱作米皇后的男同志們的情慾關係其實跟其他男同志的生活並沒有太多差異，他們跟他們的伴侶都必須協商經濟能力、性別/情慾角色，他們幾乎都並不符合既有的刻板形象。米皇后一詞的使用其實是一系列的論述，藉由邊緣化喜歡亞裔的非亞裔男同志，間接除斥亞裔於主流男同志社群。然而，我的研究也發現有部分男同志藉由重新詮釋米皇后一詞，並以此自稱，企圖顛覆污名化的論述。不過，並不是每一個人都有同樣的文化資本進行顛覆，永遠都有人害怕既有的污名，也繼續被污名。

 

This paper explores the politics of race and sexuality among gay men by examining the use and implication of the term "rice queen," a label used to describe non-Asian gay men who sexually prefer Asians. Very often, the term rice queen manifests a stereotypical image of an imbalanced power relationship in which older, wealthy, dominant non-Asian males—especially Caucasians—seek exotic sexual encounters with young, poor, submissive, and somewhat feminine gay Asians. This type of sexual relationship is therefore considered problematic or inferior to others in which partners are of the same ethnic background and social class. However, I argue that the use of the term rice queen not only identifies a racialized form of sexual desire among gay men, but also positions individuals and classifies sexual relationships in order to maintain the assumed racial boundary and hierarchy. My interviews with people involved in Asian/non-Asian sexual relationships show that they do not often fit the stereotypes of rice queen's relationships, and that, like most gay couples, they also negotiate their financial, gendered, and sexual roles with their partners. The stereotype and allegation of imbalanced power relationships between rice queens and their Asian partners are actually a series of discourses which reinforce the marginalized positions of Asians and people attracted to Asians from the mainstream, Caucasian-dominated, youth-oriented gay community. Moreover, although a few young non-Asian gay men have started to confront and challenge the stereotype of the Asian/non-Asian gay relationship by reinterpreting and celebrating the term rice queen, I suggest that not all people have the same cultural capital to refer to themselves as rice queens, and that there are still gay men left marginalized and afraid of the stigma.