equal-rights

Abstract Adoptive parenting is a lifelong process. Adoptive parents face unique challenges at different stages of parenting, which require proper recognition, specialised support and sustained services. However, social stigma against infertility and adoption in Asian societies, including Hong Kong, has rendered the lived experiences of adoptive parents almost invisible. To address this knowledge gap, the current qualitative study drew on in-depth interviews with 23 Chinese parents from 14 families (including nine couples, three wives, one single mother and one divorced mother) with school-age adoptees aged 6–17. Adopting a biographical approach, we collected their experiences from their adoption decision to their current stage of parenting. Their narratives revealed that Chinese adoptive parents in Hong Kong, despite their resourcefulness and commitment, encounter challenges throughout the adoption process, including family misunderstandings, lack of adoption leave, struggles related to discipline, difficulties with adoptees with special learning needs and the prevalence of cultural devaluation. Our findings contribute to and have implications for research and adoption services and policies. Chan, A. K. W., Fang, T. S., & Kwok, D. K. (2024). Uncovering the Challenges and Needs of Chinese Adoptive Parents in Hong Kong. Child & Family Social Work (1-11).

Introduction Female migrant workers form a substantial portion of the global migrant workforce and research indicates they are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare. This article investigates the perceptions, barriers and opportunities to sexual health and sexuality education experienced by young female migrants in Hong Kong. Kwok, K., & Kwok, D. K. (2023). Community matters: Barriers and opportunities to sexual health and sexuality education of young female migrants in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1270885.

Abstract Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan international city with a mix of Western and Chinese traditions. Previously a British colony, it is currently under the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Over seven million people live in the city. Approximately 92% of Hong Kong residents are ethnic Chinese. Intolerant and prejudiced attitudes against sexually and gender-expansive communities have become a regional and global concern. These attitudes have been researched widely in North American and European cities for over 20 years but have only recently received attention from Hong Kong Chinese society. The impact of the combined influences of Christianity and Confucianism on the manifestation of sexual prejudice and transprejudice toward sexual and gender-minority students is pertinent in this Chinese society, where professional training for educators and inclusive education for sexual- and gender-minority students are almost nonexistent. Sexual- and gender-minority students need support for the expression of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that SOGI minority students will be supported in an educational context of affirmative practice and rights-based sexuality education in Hong Kong where gender recognition acts and antidiscrimination ordinances have not been legislated. Based on this unique social-cultural context, this chapter highlights the prejudices experienced by SOGI minority students in Hong Kong’s educational context, based on a synthesis of curriculum discussion, research studies, and local media publications. Recommendations are made for facilitating an inclusive educational

Abstract Awareness of culturally diverse young people’s rights and needs to sexuality education has been raised internationally. However, existing literature has generally focused more on how culturally diverse young people navigate western mainstream societies, leaving the Asian context underexamined. This paper explores the experiences and views of South Asian minority youth of sexuality education at home and in school in Hong Kong, informed by rights-based and cultural competence perspectives of sexuality education, and using a qualitative descriptive methodology. The findings identified four themes: (1) the double silence experienced at home and school; (2) marriage within the same religion and caste; (3) gender role expectations to be caring women and protective men, and (4) the need for culturally targeted sexuality education. This paper contributes to scholarship on sexuality education by advancing the knowledge base by means of a case study conducted in Hong Kong, an Asian multicultural context that differs from western multicultural societies. It elucidates the meaning of cultural sensitivity and cultural competence by stressing the negotiability of cultural norms and taboos and identifying the practical implications for conducting sexuality education in a multicultural city like Hong Kong. Kwok, K., & Kwok, D. K. (2022). Experiencing double silence: sexuality education of south Asian minority youth in Hong Kong. Sex Education, 1-16.

Abstract With a growing number of reported offenses, clandestine photo-taking has become an increasingly noticeable phenomenon in Hong Kong and other parts of the world. This behavior is usually seen as a selfish act as it invades people’s privacy and sexual autonomy to satisfy one’s own sex drive. However, the present study provides new and varying insights into the problem. This is the qualitative section of an impact assessment including three focus group interviews with 10 young sexual offenders aged between 18 and 25 years who were either arrested or under probation. The results suggest that more than being sexually driven, people engaged in clandestine photo-taking to eliminate their sense of loneliness and break through the routinization of their everyday lifestyle. Living in a fast-paced and highly demanding metropolitan city, they felt lost and occupied to the extent that they were unaware of their purpose and meaning in life. In contrast, clandestine photo-taking allowed them to have a sense of control and satisfaction that they were lacking in their everyday lives. Based on the young offenders’ experiences and responses in the present study, social and parental understanding with early and preventive measures such as curriculum-based sexual education, and sufficient sexual and counseling support will be more important than imposing strong legal sanctions or social control to handle their sexually offending behavior. To assist young people in their need to overcome their everyday life’s boredom, stress, and routine, in combination with existing

Abstract Gay & Grey is a self-help mutual support group for older (60+) gay men in Hong Kong that was established in 2014. The group was a direct outcome of participatory action research (PAR) conducted by the second author. This chapter employs PAR to examine the growth of Gay & Grey over the past 2 years. It analyzes the process of participation and transformation among various parties, ranging from Gay & Grey’s core members to volunteers, allies, researchers, social work and medical professionals, and the general public, leading in the direction of social inclusion. Through a number of examples such as Gay & Grey’s 5th anniversary celebration, a postcard project, a video project, and a fundraising event for a film premiere ( Suk Suk), the chapter demonstrates the power of PAR to not only enhance individual empowerment but also to transform public awareness and understanding of aging sexuality. The chapter concludes that PAR has the transformative potential to achieve the goal of social inclusion even under various societal and structural constraints. Lee, B.M.W. & Kong, T.S.K. (2022). Toward social inclusion: Participatory action research (PAR) with older gay men in Hong Kong. In P. Liamputtong (Ed.)Handbook of Social Inclusion: Research and Practices in Health and Social Sciences(pp. 1645-1661). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Abstract Professional development has been recognized as one of the strategies to effectively combat sexual prejudice and negative attitudes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning/queer (LGBQ+) individuals and sexual minorities. Nevertheless, studies related to LGBQ+-inclusive training are rarely found in the Chinese Hong Kong context, where sexual prejudice still prevails without the establishment of antidiscrimination law. Sociocultural considerations, such as religious and parental influences, are obstacles to discussing the reduction of sexual prejudices, both within wider society and social work organizations, without institutional support. This paper aims to understand social workers’ perspectives on prejudice reduction training themes and perceived cultural barriers through qualitative in-depth interviews with 67 social workers. Qualitative thematic analysis yielded the following themes: (1) understanding sexuality; (2) initiating training legitimately; (3) contesting religious and cultural assumptions; (4) resolving value and ethical dilemma; (5) selecting relevant knowledge; (6) implementing diverse training strategies. The study suggests that social workers and service providers need to understand how sexual prejudice is manifested in Hong Kong through unique cultural forces. LGBQ+-inclusive content, addressing updated concepts and prejudice-free language, should be incorporated into the training curriculum. Intergroup contact, professional reflection, and experiential learning are suggested as training strategies (190). Kwok, D. K. (2021). Contesting sexual prejudice to support sexual minorities: Views of Chinese social workers. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(6), 3208.

Abstract Good quality teacher education and training has been acknowledged as an effective strategy to reduce sexual prejudice against sexual minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning/queer [LGBQ]) students. However, no mandated programmes have been developed to include LGBQ-related content in teacher training in Hong Kong, a Chinese society in which heterosexism prevails. Based on the concepts of sexual prejudice, minority stress and contact theory, this paper explores the international and regional literature on LGBQ students’ school experiences, highlighting the significant role teachers play in supporting these students to transgress sexual prejudice, and presenting suggested themes and strategies for teacher training programmes, drawn from qualitative interviews with eleven Chinese teacher allies. Data analysis led to the identification of the following themes: 1) starting sexual diversity training officially; 2) reconsidering assumptions; 3) engaging with relevant cultural knowledge and skills; and 4) using dialogue as a training strategy. This paper argues that accurate content about sexual diversity should be incorporated into the professional teacher training curriculum, with updated sexuality concepts and prejudice-free, LGBQ-inclusive language relevant to the Chinese cultural context. Teachers need to become more aware of how sexual prejudice is manifested through cultural forces. Intergroup contact can be included as a useful training strategy.   Kwok, D. K. (2019). Training educators to support sexual minority students: Views of Chinese teachers. Sex Education, 19(3), 346-360.

Abstract Good quality teacher education and training has been acknowledged as an effective strategy to reduce sexual prejudice against sexual minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning/queer [LGBQ]) students. However, no mandated programmes have been developed to include LGBQ-related content in teacher training in Hong Kong, a Chinese society in which heterosexism prevails. Based on the concepts of sexual prejudice, minority stress and contact theory, this paper explores the international and regional literature on LGBQ students’ school experiences, highlighting the significant role teachers play in supporting these students to transgress sexual prejudice, and presenting suggested themes and strategies for teacher training programmes, drawn from qualitative interviews with eleven Chinese teacher allies. Data analysis led to the identification of the following themes: 1) starting sexual diversity training officially; 2) reconsidering assumptions; 3) engaging with relevant cultural knowledge and skills; and 4) using dialogue as a training strategy. This paper argues that accurate content about sexual diversity should be incorporated into the professional teacher training curriculum, with updated sexuality concepts and prejudice-free, LGBQ-inclusive language relevant to the Chinese cultural context. Teachers need to become more aware of how sexual prejudice is manifested through cultural forces. Intergroup contact can be included as a useful training strategy. Kwok, D. K. (2019). Training educators to support sexual minority students: Views of Chinese teachers. Sex Education, 19(3), 346-360.

Introduction The popularity and availability of this surgical procedure in various Asian countries. Sex reassignment surgery (SRS) is usually undertaken by those who identify themselves as transgender or the third sex. On occasions, however, intersex people also undergo SRS when they feel that the gender they were assigned initially does not match their gender identity. There is also the issue of “regret,” in which someone who has previously identified themselves as transgender or as the other gender and has undergone SRS regrets the decision after the surgery; in such a case, such individuals often disown their transgender or cross-gender identity. If a broader concept of SRS (detailed below) is adopted, cisgender people such as eunuchs could be said to have undergone SRS within its historical context. Cheung, P.K.E. (2019). Sex Reassignment Surgery in Asia. In Chiang, H., Arondekar, A., Epprecht, M., Evans, J., Forman, R. G., Al-Samman, H., Skidmore, E. and Tortorici, Z. (Eds.). Globalencyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) history (pp 1430-1434), New York, NY, U.S.A.: Charles Scribner’s Sons