From Individual to Collective: A Qualitative Understanding of Gay Men’s Marriage Commitment and Divorce Rejection Within Heterosexual Chinese Family Decision-Making

This qualitative study explores the motivations and decision-making processes of gay men who maintain their heterosexual marriages within the Chinese family structures and systems in Hong Kong, particularly investigating why divorce is not an exit option. Based on the interpretative phenomenological analysis with social cognitive career and motivation theory and social role theory as the lens, 10 gay men in heterosexual marriages joined through semi-structured interviews, focus group activities, remarkable item sharing, and member-checking interviews. Findings indicated that (1) external sociocultural obligations as primary decision motivations, (2) establishing resilience within collective family systems, and (3) rejecting separations and divorces for sociocultural values are the three sociocultural drivers. The commitment follows from Chinese sociocultural values, Confucian beliefs, filial piety, and the preservation of family face and reputation are the key points for their maintenance. The study challenges Westernized individualistic approaches to sexually minoritized relationships and indicates the need for culturally responsive therapeutic interventions that acknowledge collectivist decision-making processes in Chinese communities.