Conclusion

Abstract

Benefitting from social changes in the last few decades, single Taiwanese women seem to have gained greater sexual autonomy and freer lifestyle choices. Single lesbians can now more easily pass as heterosexual; however, this is not an easy choice once they form a relationship. Despite increased freedoms, it is difficult for lesbian erotic relationships to be acknowledged in patriarchal families. I argue for an understanding of lesbian relationships that takes account of families of origin and lesbians’ negotiation of the wider social context of Taiwanese Confucian patriarchy. My choice of terminology ‘family/families’ served to highlight the fact that Taiwanese lesbians have a strong family tie, while they sought varying ways to have their own families accepted by their families of origin. Notably, their notion of family distinguished them from same-sex couples in other countries. By highlighting the specific issues in Taiwan, I believe that it is possible for lesbians to make their lives outside patriarchal families, which is understandable only in their situational contexts.