positions positions 18:2 Fall 2010 434 arguing with him,did I realize that since that first affair with a woman, Ah Pei had been mainly with older men who took care of him-including Ah Zhuang.In talking about his first affair,Ah Pei thus traced his inter- est in older men to an emotional and sexual history of feeling comfortable with older people.Ah Zhuang,as we will see,reduced Ah Pei's story to one of opportunism.For at this point,Ah Zhuang sarcastically interjected a counterpoint to Ah Pei's insistence that this older woman had taken the initiative:"Maybe the first time,but then what about the second and third ones?Because you've told me that there were quite a few,including the top leader of the factory.And even the manager's wife.Didn't you take some of the initiative in these later encounters?I would really like to know,what exactly is your psychological attitude when you are with older people?"Ah Pei ignored the first part of Ah Zhuang's question,answering that with older people he feels particularly able to relax and let go. Here,we find the first point of contention between Ah Pei and Ah Zhuang over whether Ah Pei fits into the category of money boy.Ah Pei tried to tell me a story of his psychological and emotional history.He feels that older people take the initiative with him,which puts him at ease.Ah Zhuang,on the other hand,tried to turn Ah Pei's actions into self-seeking advantage.Ah Zhuang was not objecting so much to a seeming bisexuality that might make a gay identity more ambiguous as to what in his view was naked opportun- ism that did not distinguish between genders.Ah Zhuang elaborated on his view when I asked Ah Pei how he felt starting an affair with this woman. Ah Pei responded about the sex,saying that looking back on it he could see that he didn't feel entirely comfortable because she did everything,he didn't have to budge.She helped him with everything.Ah Zhuang then interjected:"China has a way of saying this:this woman served(cihou)him. That's a clearer way to put it.China's traditional view is that the man should take care of(cihou)the woman and make her feel comfortable.In his case, he made the woman do it,so that he could feel comfortable."This situation, in Ah Zhuang's view,was evidently one clear marker of a money boy.Other- wise,why would a man not act like the man that he should be?Why would a man let himself be treated like a woman?Ah Zhuang's decided views on appropriate gender attributes reproduce the dominant mode of delineating the boundary between normative and nonnormative desire through gen- Published by Duke University Presspositions 18:2 Fall 2010 434 arguing with him, did I realize that since that first affair with a woman, Ah Pei had been mainly with older men who took care of him—including Ah Zhuang. In talking about his first affair, Ah Pei thus traced his inter￾est in older men to an emotional and sexual history of feeling comfortable with older people. Ah Zhuang, as we will see, reduced Ah Pei’s story to one of opportunism. For at this point, Ah Zhuang sarcastically interjected a counterpoint to Ah Pei’s insistence that this older woman had taken the initiative: “Maybe the first time, but then what about the second and third ones? Because you’ve told me that there were quite a few, including the top leader of the factory. And even the manager’s wife. Didn’t you take some of the initiative in these later encounters? I would really like to know, what exactly is your psychological attitude when you are with older people?” Ah Pei ignored the first part of Ah Zhuang’s question, answering that with older people he feels particularly able to relax and let go. Here, we find the first point of contention between Ah Pei and Ah Zhuang over whether Ah Pei fits into the category of money boy. Ah Pei tried to tell me a story of his psychological and emotional history. He feels that older people take the initiative with him, which puts him at ease. Ah Zhuang, on the other hand, tried to turn Ah Pei’s actions into self-seeking advantage. Ah Zhuang was not objecting so much to a seeming bisexuality that might make a gay identity more ambiguous as to what in his view was naked opportun￾ism that did not distinguish between genders. Ah Zhuang elaborated on his view when I asked Ah Pei how he felt starting an affair with this woman. Ah Pei responded about the sex, saying that looking back on it he could see that he didn’t feel entirely comfortable because she did everything, he didn’t have to budge. She helped him with everything. Ah Zhuang then interjected: “China has a way of saying this: this woman served (cihou) him. That’s a clearer way to put it. China’s traditional view is that the man should take care of (cihou) the woman and make her feel comfortable. In his case, he made the woman do it, so that he could feel comfortable.” This situation, in Ah Zhuang’s view, was evidently one clear marker of a money boy. Other￾wise, why would a man not act like the man that he should be? Why would a man let himself be treated like a woman? Ah Zhuang’s decided views on appropriate gender attributes reproduce the dominant mode of delineating the boundary between normative and nonnormative desire through gen￾positions Published by Duke University Press