Sex education, sexuality, homosexual, genders, identity are still very controversial and tabooed issues in Hmong communities, but how does same-sex people live their lives in such communities? That is what Dr. Brian V. Xiong from Minnesota State University focusing his research on.
Dr. Xiong said that Hmong communities rarely talk about sexuality whether lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) issues or practicing safe sex to prevent pregnancy or or to avoid sexual transmitted diseases (STDs). Therefore they have little understanding about these issues.
Hmong communities have seen some gay and lesbian people in Thailand called "Ka Thuey" which is the derogatory term to describe people who act or dress like a lady but they are men. There is neither women fall in love with women nor men fall in love with men back then in Laos or Thailand in the late 1970s. That is all Hmong communities know about LGBTQI communities.
"Gay and lesbian is some one who act as normal men or women but they know that they love men and love women like themselves but not heterosexual partners. In fact, there are people born this way and they cannot be changed so we should respect their identities or sexual choices. Parents should not disown their children or family members who are gay and lesbian. He also wanted to send a message to Hmong LGBTQI that it is their lives, their stories and their time and they should enjoy and live their lives to the fullest and be happy with who they are even though others might disapprove their choices because they are the ones who know themselves better than anyone." Said Dr. Brian V. Xiong.
Hmong gay men experience in Hmong communities and American society-Dr.Brian V. Xiong and LGBTQI march at Washington DC,Ted Eyton-Wikimedia Commons-CC BY-SA 2 Source: Courtesy of Dr. Brian V. Xiong and Ted Eyton, Wikimedia Commons
"I am scared to tell my family about my gay identity until I was 22 years old, and have set everything in place i.e job security, place to live or financial issues for the unknown situation whether my family will disown me, will not love me from now on or will not accept me as who I am. When I finally tell my family that I am gay, my siblings are okay with it, however my mom and I haven't spoken for a year. I want to say to parents and Hmong communities that please love, respect and accept your LGBTQI children as who they are because they are being born this way and it cannot be changed. If they can choose they wish to not be born as LGBTQI for people to discriminate or label." Said Kevin Ka Yeng Xiong.
Dr. Xiong added that "Some Hmong elders said that gay and lesbian is Western countries' practices which Hmong youth have imitated when they migrated to Western world. Because back then in our homeland (Thailand and Laos) there is no such issue."
Depite all the controversial aspects of being LGBTQI, Hmong communities are more aware about this issue now but still see as a taboo.
"Some of Hmong families have learned to accept their own children who are gays and lesbians but not the whole Hmong communities. Some of Hmong people who still practice traditional cultural beliefs and rituals would oppose same sex marriage and it is even surprise that Christian Hmong's bibles still see homosexual as a sin." said Dr. Brian V. Xiong.
18 Clan which is an organization representing Hmong communities traditional and cultural practices along with other Hmong communities themselves have not indicated if they will accept or support Hmong LGBTQI communities as there are not clear regulations within this 18 Clan organization how to deal with same sex marriage issues, elaborated Dr. Xiong.
In conclusion, Dr. Xiong said that he wants Hmong parents and Hmong communities to accept LGBTQI communities and embrace diversity.
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