醫療想像與性別矛盾──探究《袋鼠男人》中男性懷孕的多元議題

Medical Imagination and Gender Contradictions: An Exploration of the Diverse Issues of Male Pregnancy in The Kangaroo Man

李黎表示，1992年出版的《袋鼠男人》是她寫作的「異數」，然就目前研究來看，《袋鼠男人》多作為李黎其餘文本的參照，缺乏深入論析，即使探討，也多快速得出男性懷孕能達至性別平權、成為女性救贖的結論。因此，本文欲從小說中的角色塑造和細節經營，指出借助醫療科技讓男性懷孕，反而暴露更多性別偏見與矛盾，女性更是如此。比起性別議題，李黎更強化了孕體的去性化和孤立性，男性懷孕期間的瘋狂行徑，打破了大眾對於懷孕乃身處恬靜「靈光」之想像，由此反思懷孕狀態和醫療環境，以及描述女醫在男醫主導的婦產科裡的處境。女醫喬伊絲的堅毅形象打動了導演劉怡明，成為她將此小說拍成電影的動機，然而，在強調娛樂性的影視文本中，不僅女醫的角色較難發揮，劇本細節似有強化性別刻板印象。最後，因《袋鼠男人》寫作計畫的中斷和接續，皆和李黎兒子意外亡故有關，因此本文也參照《悲懷書簡》和《晴天筆記》的部分內容，欲指出：比起這兩本悼念亡兒的散文，《袋鼠男人》更具改寫敘事力，由此可見過去深信醫療科技的李黎對醫療侷限、生死終始的反思。

Li Li decribes Kangaroo Man, published in 1992, as an“anomaly”in her writing. However, current research indicates that this novel is primarily referenced in relation to the rest of Li Li's works, and lacks in-depth analysis. Some scholars have examined the issue of male pregnancy, and most are quick to conclude that male pregnancy can lead to gender equality and become the salvation of women. This paper aims to demonstrate the portrayal in the novel of medical technology enabling men to get pregnant actually exposes deeper gender biases and contradictions, particularly concerning women. Beyond the issue of gender, Li Li reinforces the alienation and isolation experienced by the pregnant individual. Through the erratic behaviors of male characters during pregnancy, Li Li challenges conventional perceptions of pregnancy as a tranquil“aura”. This critique extends to the medical environment, describing the experiences of female doctors in the male-dominated fields of obstetrics and gynecology. The determination of Joyce, the female doctor, inspired director Lau Yee-ming to adapt the novel into a film. However, the cinematic version emphasizes entertainment; this complicates the portrayal of the female doctor’s role as the script reinforces gender stereotypes. Furthermore, the interruption and continuation of the writing project of Kangaroo Man are related to the accidental death of Li Li's son. Hence, this article also draws connections to her other works, Grief and Memory and Sunny Day Notes, suggesting that Kangaroo Man contains more rewriting and narration than these two texts that commemorate her deceased son, thus reflecting the author’s evolving perspectives on the limitations of medical treatment and the realities of life and death, despite her past deep faith in medical science.