Travis S. K. Kong
Professor
at The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
📚 Professor at The University of Hong Kong
|
, Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R.
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👤 About
Professor Travis S. K. Kong is a leading scholar in the fields of gender and sexuality studies, currently serving as Professor of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong. His work is grounded in the exploration of non-normative sexualities and identities, particularly focusing on how marginalized communities navigate shifting socio-historical conditions. Driven by a commitment to social inclusion and justice, Professor Kong’s research challenges dominant, often Western-centric narratives, offering instead a transnational and cross-generational perspective on sexuality, gender, intimacy, family, and health.
Professor Kong’s scholarship is pioneering in both scope and methodology. He has accessed hidden and stigmatized populations such as older gay men, male sex workers (“money boys”), and sex buyers in Hong Kong and mainland China. His research brings visibility to communities often left out of mainstream sociological discourse. He is especially known for developing the theoretical concept of generational sexualities, which examines how age, memory, and historical experience shape sexual identity. His most recent book (Duke University Press, 2023) presents 90 life stories of young gay men across Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China, combining his longstanding focus on local narratives with a transnational queer sociological lens.
In addition to his groundbreaking work in the sociology of homosexuality, Professor Kong has led the way in the sociology of prostitution and sex work. His contributions move beyond public health frameworks to contextualize sex work within larger social, economic, and political landscapes. His research on male sex workers in China, and on men who buy sex in Hong Kong, has made substantial contributions to debates on migration, masculinity, and marginalization.
What sets Professor Kong apart is his dedication to praxis. His work does not remain confined to academia but translates into tangible social change. He is the founder of Grey & Pride, the only NGO in Hong Kong advocating for the well-being of older LGBTQ individuals. His academic work inspired the critically acclaimed film Suk Suk (2019), bringing public attention to issues affecting older gay men. This real-world impact has extended to educating social service providers, influencing government policies, and fostering public awareness on LGBTQ issues.
Professor Kong is also a respected editor and thought leader in his field. He is co-editor-in-chief of Sexualities, one of the leading international journals on human sexuality, and holds editorial roles in several other prestigious journals. His teaching philosophy emphasizes student-centered, interactive learning grounded in real-life experiences, and he is recognized for his leadership in curriculum development and teaching innovation.
In the realm of public engagement, Professor Kong is a frequent speaker at LGBTQ events and a sought-after commentator in media, including international podcasts and TV interviews. His work embodies a powerful fusion of academic rigor, interdisciplinary insight, and activist commitment, making him one of the most influential voices in global queer sociology today.
Skills & Expertise
Qualitative research
Critical analysis
Public engagement
Editorial leadership
Community outreach
Interdisciplinary teaching
Policy advocacy
Curriculum development
Cross-cultural analysis
Identity research
Media commentary
NGO leadership
Action research
Research mentorship
Conference speaking
Theory application
Sociological writing
Research Interests
Sociology
HIV/AIDS
Gender
Cultural studies
homosexuality
prostitution
sex work
praxis
Gender and sexuality studies
Transnational queer sociology
Generational sexualities
Sociology of homosexuality
Sociology of sex work
LGBTQ ageing
Social inclusion
Cultural and media studies
Contemporary social theory
Public health and sexuality
Migration and sexuality
Community-based research
Identity and intimacy
Cross-cultural sexualities
Knowledge exchange
sexuality studies
media studies
Qualitative research methods
Chinese homosexuality and prostitution
Connect With Me
💼 Experience
Professor
The University of Hong Kong (HKU)
·
April 2014 -
Present
🎓 Education
University of Essex
Ph.D. in
Sociology
· 2010
🚀 Projects
Purchasing Sex, Consuming Love? A Qualitative Study of Hong Kong Men Who Buy Sex
Agency Name: ||
Oct 2012 - Oct 2012
Funded: Yes ||
Amount: 215612
Criminal justice system, Masculinity, Men sexuality, Men who buy sex, Stigma
🎤 Conferences & Seminars (2)
Homophobia: What is it? What are its effects? How can it be reduced?
XIX International AIDS Conference · City ,
District of Columbia, Country ·
July 2012
XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), Washington, D. C., USA, 22-27 July 2012. In the Lancet 2012 Special Theme Series: Men Who Have Sex with Men and HIV Symposia Session, article no. TUSY0704 How to Cite?
Authors
Altman, D
Aggleton, P
Williams, M
Kong, TSK
Reddy, V
Harrad, D
Reis , T
Parker, R
https://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/139692
Understanding the Sexual in Chinese Sociology: Homosexuality Studies in Contemporary China
University of Hong Kong · City ,
Hong Kong, Country ·
April 2017
Understanding the Sexual in Chinese Sociology: Homosexuality Studies in Contemporary China
Proceeding/Conference:Departmental Seminar, Hong Kong Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
🏆 Awards & Achievements (2)
🏆 HKU-Kings Fellowship
Awarded by: The University of Hong Kong || Year:
2013
Description
🏆 Social Sciences Knowledge Exchange Award
Awarded by: The University of Hong Kong || Year:
2015
Description
✉️ Invited Position (1)
Interrogating the Sexual in Sociology: The Study of Homosexuality in Contemporary China
Organization Name:
Kyoto University, Japan || Country:
Japan
From 2016 -
2016
📖 Role in Research Journals (5)
Editorial Board Member
Journal: Sociology || Publisher
Name: Sage Publications Ltd
Sociology
Reviewer
Journal: Sociology || Publisher
Name: Sage Publications Ltd
Sociology
Editorial Board Member
Journal: Journal of Sociologyz || Publisher
Name:
Editorial Board Member
Journal: Journal of Homosexuality || Publisher
Name: Taylor & Francis, Inc
JM
Co-Editor
Journal: Sexualities || Publisher
Name: SAGE Publications
Sexualities
Add New Journal
📚 Publications (31)
Journal: Deviant Behavior
• September 2009
Situated in the masculinity and deviance literature, this article examines a “deviant” masculinity, that of the male sex worker, and presents the ways men who engage in sex work cope with the job. Bas...
Chinese male sex workers
Masculinity
Deviance
Gender strategies
Respectability
Stigma management
Sex work
Identity
Hong kong
Masculine hierarchies
Emotional labor
Sexuality
Sex
Fantasy
Kink
Bdsm
Journal: Gender, Work & Organization
• September 2006
This article seeks to investigate the complexity of the working experiences of female prostitutes in Hong Kong, using an oral history approach. Based on 13 in-depth interviews, I depict my respondents...
Erotic labour
Prostitution
Sex work
Hong kong
Emotional labour
Body politics
Social stigma
Surveillance
Identity formation
Feminist theory
Post-structuralism
Lived experience
Sex
Kink
Fantasy
Micro-resistance
Gender and power
Workplace danger
Journal: Journal of Homosexuality
• October 2020
Western theories are often universalized, with non-Western experiences serving as empirical data for validation. The sociology of homosexuality suffers from this predicament. This article proposes a t...
Transnational queer sociology
Queer asia as method
Queer theory
Sociology of homosexuality
Chinese homosexuality
Tongzhi
Hong kong
Taiwan
China
Globalization of sexuality
Sexual identity
Queer histories
Sexual cultures
Lgbt+ in asia
Identity formation
Heteronormativity
Neoliberalism
Fantasy
Desire
Resistance
Masculinity
Cultural politics
Comparative queer studies
Sexual modernity
Postcolonial sexuality
Decolonizing queer theory
Lgbt+
Journal: Sexualities
• October 2018
The first issue of Sexualities was published in 1998. The journal was the brainchild
of founding editor Ken Plummer, whose idea was to create a space dedicated to the
emerging field of sexualities....
Sexualities
Queer studies
Gay and lesbian studies
Academic publishing
Sexual diversity
Sociology of sexualities
Ken plummer
Queer theory
Lgbtq+ scholarship
Gender and sexuality
Sexual politics
Academic reflection
Sexuality research
Identity
Fantasy
Intimacy
Generational knowledge
Lesbian
Queer
Journal: Sexualities
• November 2012
Modern heteronormativity in Hong Kong has been produced via British colonialism, land developers, and the family, and maintained through post-colonial administration. Together, these factors have resu...
Tongzhi
Homonormativity
Heteronormativity
Queer space
Older gay men
Hong kong
Sexuality and space
Post-colonialism
Governmentality
Resistance
Public/private space
Same-sex intimacy
Lgbtq
Identity
Desire
Class
Age
Queer theory
Sex
Fantasy
Journal: AIDS Care
• November 2011
This study is the first to examine the role of partner type in sexual practices of men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. Using cross-sectional self-administered questionnaires (N=692) with MSM in...
Partnership type
Condom use
Men who have sex with men in china
Hiv/aids risks
Affective distance
Intimacy
Trust
Casual sex
Multiple concurrent relationships
Urban sexual practices
Sexual health
Msm
Emotional intimacy
Safe sex practices
Sexual scripts
Risk behavior
Sexual identity
Relationship dynamics
Fantasy
Kink
Masturbation
Sexual negotiation
Safer sex
Public health
Gender and sexuality
Chin
Risk factors affecting condom use among male sex workers who serve men in China: a qualitative study
Journal: Sexually Transmitted Infections
• November 2008
Objectives: To identify key factors affecting condom use among male sex workers (MSW) who serve men in China.
Method: In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews in Beijing and Shanghai, China...
Male sex workers
Condom use
Hiv
Sti
China
Rural migrants
Homosexuality
Safer sex practices
Sex work
Economic hardship
Sexual orientation
Aids knowledge
Msm
Sexual health
Risk behaviors
Sex
Fantasy
Journal: Sexualities
• May 2023
This small piece of writing is my personal account of how I met Ken Plummer and of the impact he had on my academic career. I describe the way in which our relationship changed from teacher and studen...
Ken plummer
Queer sociology
Sexuality studies
Life narrative
Mentorship
Academic biography
Teacher-student relationship
Intellectual legacy
Personal tribute
Friendship
Identity formation
Queer theory
Academic community
Reflexivity
Life story
Fantasy
Emotional bonds
Journal: Sexualities
• May 2023
A conversation about the different generational experiences of LGBT academics and the changing status of sexuality and queer studies. Ken Plummer, Arlene Stein and Travis Kong, longtime colleagues and...
Ken plummer
Queer theory
Lgbt studies
Sexuality studies
Sociology of homosexuality
Generational difference
Academic activism
Digital media
Neoliberalism
Authoritarianism
Risk
Queer identity
Queer academia
Fantasy
Intellectual labor
Identity politics
Journal: English Language Notes
• March 2011
f you go to a gay bar in any big Mainland Chinese city like Beijing, Shanghai, or Shen-
zhen, you will find a lot of young men with fashionable haircuts, form-fitting T-shirts, and
tight denim jeans...
Transnational queer labor
Money boys
Rural-to-urban migration
Postsocialist china
Queer migrants
Sex work
Male sex workers
Scattered hegemonies
Transnational sexualities
Neoliberalism
Sexuality and labor
Masculinity
Desire
Fantasy
Queer subjectivity
Market economy
Heteronormativity
Globalization
Migrant queer identity
Sexual politics
Resistance
Cosmopolitanism
Sexual economy
Intersectionality
Class and sexuality
Queer china
Circuits of desire
Queer capitalism
Queer
Sex
Journal: Body & Society
• March 2002
This article investigates the embodied identities of Hong Kong gay men in two different `sites of desire', namely London and Hong Kong. In London, Hong Kong gay men have constantly encountered the int...
Seduction
Journal: Sexualities
• June 2023
This special issue pays tribute to and critically engages with the work of Ken Plummer, the founder of this journal. A distinguished sociologist who taught at the University of Essex for thirty years,...
Ken plummer
Sexualities
Queer theory
Sociology of homosexuality
Narrative sociology
Symbolic interactionism
Sexual storytelling
Identity
Social change
Academic legacy
Life history
Reflexivity
Fantasy
Intimacy
Generational knowledge
Journal: Sexualities
• June 2020
Dr. Travis Kong, one of the editors of Sexualities, interviewed British feminist
Prof. Stevi Jackson in December 2017. This personal and engaging interview
touches upon Jackson's own position as a m...
Materialist feminism
French feminist theory
Marxist feminism
Gender studies
Sexuality studies
Feminist theory
Christine delphy
Monique wittig
Political lesbianism
Global knowledge systems
East asian sexualities
Academic biography
Intersectionality
Feminist methodology
Power and resistance
Queer theory
Feminist radicalism
Gendered power structures
Identity politics
Global feminism
Kink
Feminist ethics
Fantasy
Gender and sexuality
Journal: Qualitative Research
• June 2017
This article examines how a research project transformed into participatory action research (PAR) whose outcome was a self-help group for older (60+) gay men in Hong Kong. The overall process witnesse...
Older gay men
Participatory action research
Hong kong
Chinese homosexuality
Queer studies
Aging and sexuality
Empowerment
Community building
Self-help groups
Researcher-participant relationship
Knowledge production
Heteronormativity
Resistance
Identity formation
Queer aging
Sexual minorities
Power relations
Social transformation
Marginalized voices
Fantasy
Queer identity
Lgbtq+ elder care
Inclusive research methods
Journal: Men and Masculinities
• July 2019
This article seeks a dialogue between masculinity studies and generational sexuality studies by comparing two generations of gay men in Hong Kong through in-depth interviews with 15 older gay men born...
Chinese masculinity
Gay men
Generational masculinity
Hong kong
Colonialism
Postcolonialism
Homonormativity
Heteronormativity
Respectability
Responsibility
Stigma
Sexual identity
Life course
Fantasy
Kink
Intimacy
Masculine ideals
Negotiated identity
Gender norms
Bdsm
Masturbation
Social institutions
Cultural change
Journal: Journal of Youth Studies
• July 2019
Recent debates in critical studies of men and masculinities center around the intricate relationship between neoliberalism and male identity formation. Drawing on narratives from in-depth interviews w...
Masculinity
Neoliberalism
Post-90s generation
Homosexuality
Hong kong and shanghai
Young gay men
Hong kong
Shanghai
Gender identity
Sexual identity
Reflexive masculinity
Heteronormativity
Homonormativity
Self-making
Sexual communities
Education
Work
Family
Entrepreneur of the self
Sexual scripts
Intimacy
Emotional labor
Queer identity
Fantasy
Kink
Masturbation
Gender performance
Resistance
Gendered neoliberalism
Journal: Urban Studies
• July 2016
China’s reconfiguration of the state and the market in its reform era has created new spaces and opportunities that have attracted millions of rural migrants to urban centres in search of freedom, wea...
Money boys
Male sex work
Rural-to-urban migration
Post-socialist china
Stigma
Sexual identity
Masculinity
Neoliberalism
Chinese queer studies
Urbanization
Migrant labor
Sexual economy
Marginalization
Empowerment
Beijing
Shanghai
Shenzhen
Male sex workers
Migration
Migrants
Sex work
Sexuality
Msm
Homosexuality
Queer
Identity
Labor
Class
Gender
Mobility
Risk
Survival
Displacement
China
Rural
Urban
Post-socialist
Queer studies
Journal: The Lancet
• July 2012
The first cases of AIDS were identified in gay men in the USA, and the disease was originally termed gay-related immune deficiency (GRID). Mobilisation of attention and resources was slow, partly beca...
Hiv
Aids
Men who have sex with men
Msm
Homosexuality
Stigma
Discrimination
Public health
Sexual health
Global health policy
Homophobia
Gay rights
Hiv epidemic
Sex
Fantasy
Kink
Bdsm
Journal: Chinese Male Homosexualities: Memba, Tongzhi and Golden Boy
• July 2010
This book presents a groundbreaking exploration of masculinities and homosexualities amongst Chinese gay men. It provides a sociological account of masculinity, desire, sexuality, identity and citizen...
Area studies
Development studies
Environment
Chinese male homosexuality
Memba
Tongzhi
Golden boy
Masculinity
Sexuality
Identity
Citizenship
Queer space
Queer flows
Globalisation
Urban gay culture
Postcolonialism
Capital flow
Body politics
Sex
Fantasy
Kink
Journal: Sociology Compass
• January 2024
This paper examines the family dynamics between parents and gay sons after the latter's disclosure of their sexual orientation. Situated in the “doing family” and life course literature, the paper off...
Coming out
Family dynamics
Gay sons
Chinese families
Heteronormativity
Emotional economy
Moral economy
Intergenerational relationships
Parenthood
Masculinity
Identity politics
Sexual essentialism
Relational politics
Family practice
Queer identity
Good homosexual
Homosexuality in asia
Queer masculinity
Shame and stigma
Fantasy
Power relations
Emotional burden
Queer family
Hong kong
Kink
Sexual disclosure
Gendered emotions
Stigma management
Disclosure
Doing family
Parent–son relationship
Journal: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
• January 2019
Globally, there has been increasing public health and scholarly interest in chemsex, where the consumption of drugs is related to enhancing sexual pleasure, often in a group context, particularly amon...
Chemsex
Msm
Drugs
Sexual pleasure
Group sex
Hiv/aids
Harm reduction
Neoliberalism
Public health policy
Gay men
Health service gap
Criminalization
Risk behaviour
Pleasure politics
Fantasy
Desire
Resistance
Sexual identity
Queer health
Drug use and sexuality
Hong kong
Health governance
Neoliberal subjectivity
Lgbtq+ policy
Sexual subculture
Stigma
Journal: Sexualities
• January 2017
Professor Ronald Weitzer has written a short piece to Sexualities. It is a commentary in which Weitzer examines the notion of stigma in the context of sex work. He points out that stigma is not determ...
Sex work
Stigma
Decriminalization
Destigmatization
Gender
Class
Sexuality
Intersectionality
Whore stigma
Legal reform
Policy
Activism
Representation
Media
Neoliberalism
Feminist theory
Queer theory
Critical race theory
Academic discourse
Male sex workers
Female sex workers
Industry mobilization
Everyday practice
Journal: The British Journal of Criminology
• January 2016
Commercial sex is a risky business and men who buy sex engage in a form of voluntary risky behaviour. Using Stephen Lyng’s notion of edgework, this qualitative study examines Hong Kong men who buy sex...
Commercial sex
Edgework
Male clients
Hong kong
China
Masculinity
Risk
Leisure
Pleasure
Sexual scripts
Modern intimacy
Companionate sexuality
Resistance
Gender norms
Late modernity
Transactional sex
Sex
Fantasy
Kink
Bdsm
Masturbation
Journal: Culture, Health & Sexuality
• February 2015
This paper draws on 24 in-depth interviews and 2 focus-group discussions conducted since 2012 with Hong Kong heterosexual men who buy sex in order to examine men's level of physical and emotional enga...
Client masculinities
Hong kong
Chinese sexuality
Commercial sex
Emotional intimacy
Companionate sexuality
Recreational sexuality
Sunken boat masculinity
Chicken worm masculinity
Mcsex
Romantic scripts
Masculine identity
Bounded masculinity
Kink
Fantasy
Emotional labor
Sex work
Bdsm
Masculinity and control
Intimacy
Transactional relationships
Sexual health
Gender norms
Masturbation
Sexual scripts
Journal: British Journal of Sociology
• December 2019
The sociology of homosexuality lacks engagement with queer theory and postcolonialism and focuses primarily on the global metropoles, thus failing to provide a plausible account of non-Western non-nor...
Transnational queer sociology
Sexual identity
Civic-political activism
Hong kong
Taiwan
Mainland china
Queer theory
Postcolonialism
Non-western sexualities
Gay men
Queer flows
State and sexuality
Identity politics
Cultural identity
Homosexuality
Sexuality and the state
Queer activism
Journal: Sexualities
• December 2013
Over the past 15 years, Sexualities has become the leading journal in the field of critical sexualities studies. This is in no small part due to the efforts of its founder, Ken Plummer, whose own scho...
Sexualities
Critical sexualities studies
Ken plummer
Feminism
Gender studies
Sexual identities and cultures
Cross-generational sexualities
Life course
Ageing
Love
Family
Intimacy
Trans* and sexuality
Human rights
Citizenship
Social history
Material dimensions of sexualities
Theoretical analysis
New technologies of sexualities
Interdisciplinary research
Equality
Sex
Journal: The Sociological Review
• August 2016
Through a meta-literature review, this paper examines the changing contours of Chinese sociology of homosexuality in contemporary China. It unfolds the different theoretical orientations and methodolo...
Chinese sociology
Homosexuality
Lgbtq
Sexual identity
Gender studies
Functionalism
Constructivism
Post-structuralism
Transnational knowledge
Same-sex relationships
Queer theory
Sexual politics
Identity formation
Male homosexuality
Desire
Sex
Fantasy
Journal: Contexts
• August 2012
Based on ethnographic research on the male sex industry in China since 2004, sociologist Travis S.K. Kong examines how male rural migrants become male sex workers (or “money boys”) and explains how to...
Travis s.k. kong
Male sex workers
Money boys
Rural-to-urban migration
The hukou system
Male prostitution
Middle-class gay sensibilities
Reform china
Postsocialist china
Urbanization
Market economy
Gay community in china
Sexual economy
Sex industry
Queer labor
Social exclusion
Legal constraints
Cultural domination
Masculinity
Migrant identity
Erotic labor
Kink
Fantasy
Bdsm
Masturbation
Sex
Queer desire
Power relations
Stigma
Class and sexuality
Neoliberalism
Globalization
Queer china
Queer studies
Journal: AIDS Care
• August 2007
The sexual behaviour and HIV risks among Chinese MSM in rural areas are grossly under-researched. The aims of this study were to explore the process and formation as well as the factors in an initiati...
Men who have sex with men
Rural china
Same-sex relationships
Sexual behaviour
Hiv risks
Ethnographic decision model
Grounded theory
Cultural context
Identity negotiation
Sexual marginalization
Family influence
Social pressure
Emotional needs
Partner selection
Sexual hierarchy
Stigma
Resistance
Desire
Fantasy
Public health intervention
Sexual health
Chinese msm
Intimacy
Rural lgbtq+ studies
Queer identity formation
Journal: Critical Asian Studies
• April 2012
As part of a massive rural-to-urban migrant population in post-Mao reform era China, rural male migrants in their early twenties are increasingly entering the sex industry, which offers same-sex sexua...
Money boys
Male sex workers
Sex work
Migration
Rural migrants
Urbanization
Post-socialist china
Neoliberalism
Hukou system
Authoritarianism
Prostitution
Msm
Homosexuality
Queer identity
Tongzhi
Commercialization of the body
Erotic labor
Survival strategies
Masculinity
Gender
Class
Identity politics
Capitalism
Civic exclusion
Body politics
Stigma
Risk
Urban subjectivity
Love
Desire
Fantasy
Kink
Sex
Masturbation
Bdsm
Sadism
Journal: Sexually Transmitted Infections
• April 2006
Objectives: To explore the characteristics and issues specific to HIV related risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM) in rural China.
Method: Qualitative study using semistructured in...
Hiv
Msm
Rural china
Yunnan
Risk behaviour
Condom use
Health seeking behaviour
Social stigma
Traditional chinese medicine
One child policy
Public health
Double identity
Genitourinary health
Sex
Fantasy
Kink
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