Oversea and Overseen: Oral History of Gay Chinese Migrants to New York City

Yu Cui

This study attempts to answer two questions: What role does desire play in LGBT migration, and what impact does migration have on their sexualities? To do so, I adopt horizontal and vertical perspectives, in the sense that I simultaneously focus on the influences on individuals of both living society and cultural embodiment. Doing so provides new insights into long-standing interests of the LGBT migration field concerning the relationship between migration (whether internal to a country or between countries) and sexual identity: 1) Sexual desire is not propelling the immigration process of gay Chinese men to New York City or the U.S.; 2) Family is a core factor shaping Chinese individual attitudes towards sexual desires.

Cui-OHMA-Thesis

Yu Cui, TV news anchor, journalist, PR consultant, and now, oral historian; variety made his day. Made in Dalian, designed in Beijing, he was raised in a household where a pair of wise businesspeople cultivated him to be both ambitious and generous. He fights to make this world a better place. He reads, films, paints, writes. Last month, one post of his on Weibo has 650 thousand views.

Ask him to “carpe diem” together, lifestyle is Yu’s field of expertise. He became the youngest team leader in Ruder Finn Communication Group (Beijing) when 23 years old, offering strategic consulting to global brands, including TISSOT, IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN, MONTBLANC, TENCENT, BENTLEY, New World China, and Sino-Ocean Group. Since always, he lives, instead of making a living.

Gym rat, advanced open water diver, Krav Maga learner; jogger, hiker, climber, home cook & foodie. Yu enjoys athletic activities and healthy cuisine. He acquires much motivation from problem solving, he likes to be challenged, and win. So, he came to Columbia University. He sees this world as his oyster, exploring it physically and mentally. He loves travelling, while listening to stories, myths, and legends, like an Ancient Greek bard does. His voice is the epic of his odyssey, and he speaks for the voiceless.

Humanity is the theme of Yu’s lifelong pursuit of studies. He will approach and interpret this complexed society through his independent perspective. As an oral historian, he is going to empower the powerless and uplift the downtrodden.

Yu also is known as Killian, find him via: YouTube/Bilibili/Weibo/WeChatOfficial/RED @ByKliian Instagram/Facebook @Killian.tsui