Since we covered a lot of sexuality and Christianity in the United States in this class, I wanted to touch on sexuality and christianity outside of the states — Specifically the Kingdom of Tonga, a very conservative, Christian country with strict gender and sexuality ideas that just seem outrageous. Being gay is considered illegal. Tonga is declared a constitutional monarchy. Because of Tonga’s strong Christian values, it is deeply conservative especially when it comes to dress and how you present yourself as an individual — making it harder for those in the LGBT community. Tongan identity and culture has always been based on a person’s family and community. Gender roles in Tonga are a lot like the United States, they just have a lot of issues with gender inequality. Some critical problems when dealing with gender inequality issues in Tonga include having to do with historical gender norms, the legal framework of Tonga when expressing yourself, organizations in Tonga that are struggling to promote gender equality and the LGBTQ community, and the unequal opportunities available to women in Tonga. For example, gay men have the option of referring to themselves as “leiti’s” to dodge the legal factors of being gay, but for women, there is no option. For the first time, Tonga’s homosexual and transgender community called on government leaders in 2015 to revise legislation in order to protect LGBTQ people in Tonga’s deeply conservative country
In 2015, the Pacific Sexuality Diversity Network hosted a human rights conference in Tonga. The Pacific Sexuality Diversity Network is known for representing the interests of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics in the Pacific region. That gathering was strongly opposed by Christian church groups, who protested outside of the conference waving banners and posters that opposed gay marriage because of their strong religious values. After researching the results of this conference there weren’t changes that have been made legislatively for the LGBTQ community BUT socially there has been slight changes, men are acceptable as leitis.
This research relates well with D’Emilio’s reading on “Capitalism and Gay Identity”. D’Emilio says that gay men and lesbians are a product of history and their emergence is associated with the relations of capitalism and its free labor system — that has allowed large numbers of men and women in the late twentieth century to call themselves gay, to see themselves as part of a community of similar men and women, and to organize politically on the basis of that identity. I think his reading relates well to Tonga’s society because they aren’t radical but rather very strict on their culture and religious values, they don’t get much of that sense of freedom. That’s why there seems to be less of an LGBT community there and only a few organizations that do support the future of LGBTs in Tonga.
This project also connects with DeFranza’s “Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God”. Her argument, from a conservative theological standpoint, is that all people are made in the image of God — male, female, and intersex (a point that Tonga’s Leiti Association also stands by). DeFranza strongly supports that we must listen to and learn from the voices of the intersexes which I think Tonga is coming to realize by society socially but not legislatively yet. I thought this reading closely related with the “leiti” group from Tonga because they do not view themselves as any “less of a Christian” just because of their sexual orientation or identity, instead they respect the communities values and remain somewhat un-noticed.
Orit Avishai’s reading on “Doing Religion In a Secular World” connects with women of Tonga. Avishai studies women’s experiences with conservative religions and believes they are typically framed by a paradox that ponders women’s complicity. The performance theory he suggests makes me believe that people “do their religion” and abide by the religious rules even when they don’t believe that is right for them. In relating this to my project topic, I believe that most Tongan women identify as straight just because it is the only option that is legal, even if they didn’t self-explore or find out truly what they want if given the option — very frustrating. They aren’t given the opportunity to find themselves and their personal interests regardless of the religious/country restrictions.
Chauncey’s “Christian Brotherhood or Sexual Perversion” made me believe that sexuality is a part of social history. The sexual boundaries in which he talks about reminds me a lot about Tonga. Males are a little less restricted, but when a woman wants to identify as gay or act as a man it was not acceptable. Chauncey did not touch much on women gay roles but a lot about men. This just reminds me of how everywhere, not only Tonga, men are almost given a free-be when it comes to diverse sexualities.
