Sexual citizenship in a comparative perspective: Dilemmas and insights

Abstract

In this article, the author explores some of the key dilemmas that are involved in attempts to apply concepts such as ‘sexual citizenship’ in a cross-cultural perspective, with particular focus on Australia and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The concept of sexual citizenship can usefully be applied to gay and lesbian rights issues in Australia relatively easily. However, it is not quite so easy to apply this concept to some of Australia’s Asian neighbours. Any comparative analysis needs to take differing priorities, conceptions of sexuality, gender, identity, rights, state and civil society into account but, nonetheless, useful insights can be gained. The author argues that the concept of sexual citizenship is even more widely applicable if aspects of other conceptions of citizenship are incorporated into it, such as conceptions of ‘heteronormative’ citizenship and ‘affective’ citizenship.