Performing and Policing Prostitution: Race and Sexuality in Colonial Hong Kong Under the Contagious Diseases Ordinances

TL;DR

This paper examines how race, gender, and class shaped the regulation of prostitution in colonial Hong Kong through laws and societal attitudes.

Contribution

The study introduces an intersectional analysis of colonial prostitution regulation, emphasizing the overlooked role of the prostitute's identity in shaping policies.

Findings

Colonial regulations of prostitution were deeply influenced by intersecting dynamics of race, gender, and class.

The Contagious Diseases Ordinances reflected medico-moral discourse and capitalist interests in controlling prostitution.

The paper highlights contradictions in colonial governance and the enduring legacies of exploitation in Hong Kong.

Abstract

This paper delves into the complex construction and regulation of prostitution in colonial Hong Kong, exploring how intersecting dynamics of race, gender, class, and sexuality influenced perceptions and governance. Drawing on intersectionality, doing gender, and performativity frameworks, it analyzes the role of patriarchal imperialist capitalism, medical expertise, and humanitarian networks in shaping colonial attitudes toward prostitution, particularly through the enactment of contagious diseases (CD) ordinances. Despite existing scholarship on imperial regulation, there is a notable gap regarding the nuanced construct of the prostitute herself and its impact on regulatory practices. Through examination of historical documents, the paper reveals the interdependence between colonial and domestic constructions of race, sexuality, and class, highlighting their influence on legislative approaches in Britain and its colonies. By situating Hong Kong within broader imperial networks and scrutinizing medico-moral discourse and capitalist imperatives, the study exposes contradictions in colonial regulation, emphasizing the enduring legacies of exploitation. It advocates for further research into the performance and policing of prostitution, stressing the necessity of an intersectional lens to comprehend the complexities of colonial history.