A reading list about sexuality in Asia should not promise a single explanation for a continent. The subjects include law, work, identity, family and the many different ways people describe their own lives.
The books below approach the subject from different places and periods. These are introductions based on publisher information, rather than full critical reviews, and availability can vary by country and format.
Everyday Erotics — Denise Tse-Shang Tang
Duke University Press published this study in March 2026. It examines the lives and social worlds of older Chinese women with same-sex desire in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Its focus on older women offers a counterpoint to accounts of queer life that concentrate only on young people or on one city.
For a reader interested in oral history, community and the relationship between place and identity, this is a useful place to begin. The three locations have different political and social histories, so it is worth considering both the connections and the differences the book explores.
The Intimate Economies of Bangkok — Ara Wilson
Published by the University of California Press in 2004, this study examines how commerce, gender and intimate life interacted in Bangkok during a period of economic change. Its subjects go beyond nightlife alone, placing relationships and work alongside wider consumer culture.
It is valuable as a historically situated academic account, not a guide to prices, venues or current law. Read the publication date alongside later research before drawing conclusions about Bangkok today.
Sexual States — Jyoti Puri
Published by Duke University Press in 2016, this book examines governance and the struggle over India’s anti-sodomy law. It provides a way to study the relationship between sexuality, the state and legal debate.
The date matters: later legal developments are not necessarily covered in an older book. Pair historical scholarship with current primary legal sources rather than assuming its account is a description of present-day law.
Choosing what to read
Look at an author’s discipline, the sources they use and whose voices are included. An academic study, a memoir and a guidebook answer different questions. None should be treated as a universal portrait of Asian sexuality.
Libraries and publisher pages may offer previews or accessible editions. If you are researching a legal question, use a book for context and check the current rules through a qualified local source.