The Golden Orchid The Golden Orchid SocietySociety

Final PresentationFinal PresentationProfessor LafontProfessor LafontBy: Vincent ChowBy: Vincent Chow

Ancient China’s cultureAncient China’s culture

Patrilinieal society Patrilinieal society Men inherited family property, considered Men inherited family property, considered

superiorsuperior Polygyny was accepted as normPolygyny was accepted as norm Women was oppressedWomen was oppressed

Women in 19Women in 19thth century China century China

Had arranged marriages where they did Had arranged marriages where they did not meet future spouse until weddingnot meet future spouse until wedding

Regarded as propertyRegarded as property Treated like servantsTreated like servants Expected to be subservientExpected to be subservient

Birth of Golden Orchid SocietyBirth of Golden Orchid Society

In 1800’s foreign silk production started to In 1800’s foreign silk production started to develop in Guangdong province of Chinadevelop in Guangdong province of China

Offered employment opportunities to womenOffered employment opportunities to women Women started to earn own income for self Women started to earn own income for self

and familiesand families Found other jobs such as servants, nanniesFound other jobs such as servants, nannies Viewed marriage as shameful and postponed Viewed marriage as shameful and postponed

arrange marriages and some even indefinitelyarrange marriages and some even indefinitely

Avoiding heterosexual marriageAvoiding heterosexual marriage

Women that were involved in an arrange Women that were involved in an arrange marriage would refuse to live in their marriage would refuse to live in their husbands house husbands house

On the day of the wedding, refuse to have On the day of the wedding, refuse to have intercourse, and then will go back to her intercourse, and then will go back to her natal familynatal family

This woman is now considered lost to her This woman is now considered lost to her husband, and which ensured her freedom husband, and which ensured her freedom because she is “unmarriageable” materialbecause she is “unmarriageable” material

Golden Orchid SocietyGolden Orchid Society Women formed Golden Orchid SocietyWomen formed Golden Orchid Society

Started in late Qing dynasty around 1644 though Started in late Qing dynasty around 1644 though it may have started earlierit may have started earlier

Rich and poor women wanted to escape Rich and poor women wanted to escape oppressive societyoppressive society

Took vows to never marry a man or they will Took vows to never marry a man or they will commit suicidecommit suicide

Desired to marry womenDesired to marry women Groups of women formed pacts and sisterhoodsGroups of women formed pacts and sisterhoods Sisters lived togetherSisters lived together Some members may form sexual relationshipsSome members may form sexual relationships

AliasAlias

This society was known by a couple of This society was known by a couple of other names:other names: Heart to heart friendsHeart to heart friends Making FriendsMaking Friends Association for mutual admirationAssociation for mutual admiration Mutual Admiration SocietyMutual Admiration Society Workmates societyWorkmates society

Changes In ChinaChanges In China

With the boom in With the boom in China’s economics, China’s economics, they started to use they started to use women in more women in more advertisementsadvertisements

MarriageMarriage

Courtship is similar to heterosexual Courtship is similar to heterosexual couplescouples

When a woman wanted to marry another When a woman wanted to marry another woman she would give gifts such as woman she would give gifts such as peanut candy, honey dates, and tea to the peanut candy, honey dates, and tea to the one she was wooing, and the familyone she was wooing, and the family

If family accepts, then there will be an If family accepts, then there will be an engagement and a contract is drawnengagement and a contract is drawn

MarriageMarriage

The woman would The woman would wear traditional wear traditional Chinese red gownsChinese red gowns

They would change They would change their hairstyle from their hairstyle from long braids to buns to long braids to buns to signify that they were signify that they were married.married.

To the right is a To the right is a picture of a married picture of a married womanwoman

MarriageMarriage

Traditional marriages Traditional marriages would have the bride would have the bride to be in the carriage to be in the carriage carrying to their carrying to their partner’s housepartner’s house

They used red for They used red for that day because they that day because they believe it brings good believe it brings good luckluck

FamilyFamily

This same-sex couple can start a familyThis same-sex couple can start a family Adoption of abandoned/orphaned girls Adoption of abandoned/orphaned girls

were allowedwere allowed The couple is devoted to one another and The couple is devoted to one another and

their child, and is accepted by their familytheir child, and is accepted by their family Their natal family would accept this same-Their natal family would accept this same-

sex marriage because fear of being sex marriage because fear of being publicly humiliatedpublicly humiliated

AdoptionAdoption

This same-sex family can even adopt girls This same-sex family can even adopt girls to pray for them when they dieto pray for them when they die

These girls will have to take on the Golden These girls will have to take on the Golden Orchid OathOrchid Oath

They will inherit this same-sex couples They will inherit this same-sex couples propertiesproperties

ConsequencesConsequences

There were terrible punishments if one or There were terrible punishments if one or both partners of this same-sex marriage both partners of this same-sex marriage was found to be unfaithful, changed their was found to be unfaithful, changed their minds, or “turn their backs” on their minds, or “turn their backs” on their partnerpartner

This partner would be beaten and publicly This partner would be beaten and publicly humiliated humiliated

Marriage and the Golden Orchid oath was Marriage and the Golden Orchid oath was not to be taken lightlynot to be taken lightly

ReligionReligion

Buddhism in ancient China was one of the Buddhism in ancient China was one of the prevalent religionsprevalent religions

Reincarnation was believed and thought Reincarnation was believed and thought that a couple from a previous life could that a couple from a previous life could have reincarnated into 2 femaleshave reincarnated into 2 females

According to this belief, they are destined According to this belief, they are destined to be married to each other and therefore to be married to each other and therefore lesbianism was tolerated and accepted. lesbianism was tolerated and accepted.

Current statusCurrent status

Golden Orchid Society does not exist Golden Orchid Society does not exist todaytoday

Members of the society are in their late Members of the society are in their late 80’s-90’s and can be found in Singapore, 80’s-90’s and can be found in Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong KongTaiwan, and Hong Kong

They fled Guangdong to other parts of They fled Guangdong to other parts of China when rebels started to attach their China when rebels started to attach their association to overthrow Manchu Emperor association to overthrow Manchu Emperor in hopes of restoring the Ming Dynastyin hopes of restoring the Ming Dynasty

Current StatusCurrent Status

In today’s society, Golden Orchid sisters to In today’s society, Golden Orchid sisters to Chinese people means best friends, sisters Chinese people means best friends, sisters that you would die for, and lost its that you would die for, and lost its association with lesbianismassociation with lesbianism

What did I learn?What did I learn?

Religion and the power of unity can Religion and the power of unity can overcome the most traditional of societiesovercome the most traditional of societies

Same-sex marriages were accepted in this Same-sex marriages were accepted in this patrilineal societypatrilineal society

The “sisters” appointed their own The “sisters” appointed their own descendants to take care of them, their descendants to take care of them, their graves, their ceremonial burial, and their graves, their ceremonial burial, and their estates when they dieestates when they die

ReferencesReferences Heckethorn, Charles William. Heckethorn, Charles William. The Secret The Secret

Societies of All Ages and Countries.Societies of All Ages and Countries. New York: New York: Cosimo, 2005 (PP 132-134). Cosimo, 2005 (PP 132-134).

http://colorq.org/Articles/article.aspx?d=qhistory&x=chistoryhttp://colorq.org/Articles/article.aspx?d=qhistory&x=chistory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_marriagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_marriage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qipaohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qipao http://www.romanization.com/books/giles/civilization/chap03.htmlhttp://www.romanization.com/books/giles/civilization/chap03.html

ReferencesReferences

■ ■ Ohana, R. The Golden Orchid Society. Ohana, R. The Golden Orchid Society. Available from:Available from:http://www.rainbowrumpus.org/htm/political09.htmhttp://www.rainbowrumpus.org/htm/political09.htm

Sullivan, Andrew. Sullivan, Andrew. Same-sex Marriages Pro Same-sex Marriages Pro and Con: A Reader.and Con: A Reader. New York: Vintage New York: Vintage Books, 1997 (PP 24-26).Books, 1997 (PP 24-26).