分類、問題與認同：西方與泰國的泰國社會多元性／別研究

Classification, Problems, and Identity: Western and Thai Studies on Gender and Sexuality in the Thai Society

本文旨在討論西方與泰國自身關於泰國社會中多元性／別研究的不同理論視角與立場，指出這些立場涉及研究者位置所出發的關心及其意涵。西方對於泰國社會中多元性／別的研究，聚焦於多元性／別的「分類」：這一方面是外來研究者對於泰國社會多元性／別認識的基礎，另一方面反映的是西方社會對於全球化西方接觸與在地文化消逝及延續的焦慮，以及人的實踐能動性與結構分類的關係，並進而帶出多元性／別實踐者透過分類的挪用及創新，展現其反抗與主張的政治性。相對的，泰國學界的研究雖亦運用西方理論議題，卻呈現出不同的關心及樣貌：早期西方留學歸國者，運用過時西方理論將多元性／別視為病理「問題」，展現出亟欲解決的焦慮。近來社會空間的擴大及多元性／別人群自身參與研究，則轉而以「認同」為主要議題，探索與大社會間的互動及自身定位的流動追尋。

This article aims at reviewing different angles and positions of Western and Thai studies on gender and sexuality issues in Thai society, and indicating the different researchers’ related focus and meaning. Western studies focus more on its ‘classification.’ On the one hand, this is the basis for outsiders to understand gender and sexuality in Thai society. On the other hand, it reflects a Western concern over the disappearance or persistence of non-Western cultures, and the relationship between the agency of actors and structural classification. Moreover, it shows the creative appropriation of LGBT actors to represent their resistance and opinions. In contrast, Thai academics have different concerns, although they follow Western theories and issues. Early Thai researchers concentrated within the field of clinical psychology, and use outdated Western theories to view them as ‘problems’ to be solved. However, recently, because of the expansion of the social spaces and the participation of LGBT researchers, ‘identity’ has become the main issue, which explores the interaction with the main society and searches for LGBT researchers’ own fluid positions.