Options
Gay men who married women: Sociocultural stress and resilience
Author(s)
Date Issued
2026
Publisher
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Citation
Dos Santos, L. M. (2026). Gay men who married women: Sociocultural stress and resilience. In Hong Kong Shue Yan University (Ed.). Conference proceeding of international conference on human resilience: Navigating life changes & challenges (HRCONF2026). International Conference on Human Resilience: Navigating Life Changes & Challenges (HRCONF2026), Hong Kong Shue Yan University (pp. 58). Hong Kong Shue Yan University.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Due to sociocultural expectations and traditions, Chinese men need to get married and become fathers in order to carry their family names forward. This sociocultural requirement forms significant challenges for gay men exploring between personal identities and familial obligations. The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experiences, decisions, and
sense-making processes of gay men who married women in Hong Kong, together with their resilience in the East Asian sociocultural context. Through qualitative research design with individual interviews, focus group activity, and member-checking interviews, 10 gay married men were invited to share their experiences and resilience strategies. The results
indicated that (1) establishing hidden relationships between other gay partners, (2) finding male sex workers, and (3) refusing sexual activities with their wives are some of the strategies to maintain their marriages and positive mental health status within these marriages and relationships. This study addresses significant research gaps in understanding how gay men in mixed-orientation marriages handle their mental health and relationships within sociocultural-specific pressures. The findings discover important information for mental health professionals developing sociocultural sensitive approaches to supporting sexual minorities experiencing traditional family expectations in East Asian contexts.
Availability at HKSYU Library
