Intersectional Journeys: Chinese Queer International Students Navigating Migration, Sexuality, and Belonging in New Zealand
Description
The Community Research Te Auaha Pito Mata Awards are held to celebrate the impact of emerging researchers whose work uplifts communities, strengthens knowledge, and creates positive change in Aotearoa.
This webinar series introduces the 2026 Award winners and offers an opportunity to hear directly from these inspiring researchers as they share their work, insights, and aspirations for the future.
This webinar presents findings from award-winning research by Dr Taylor Cui, recipient of our 2026 Ethnic Community Researcher Award. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 participants, Taylor examines the intersectional experiences of Chinese queer international students in New Zealand. This study explores how these students navigate both New Zealand’s tertiary education system and the broader Chinese community beyond the campus. Although New Zealand is often imagined as a progressive, queer-friendly, and liberating destination, students frequently confront the “ethnic closet” and the enduring influence of political censorship from China. These dynamics reveal that the search for a “queer home” is not a linear journey from repression to freedom, but an ongoing, embodied negotiation shaped by intersecting identities, including sexuality, ethnicity, citizenship, and migration status.
This is a joint webinar co-hosted with Aotearoa Migration Research Network.
Our judges noted that Taylor's research demonstrates a strong commitment to community impact, inclusivity, and the values of the Community Research Code of Practice.
Presenter Bio
Dr Taylor Le Cui
Born and raised in China, Dr Taylor Le Cui is a New Zealand–based sociologist whose work focuses on queer issues in education and the workplace across authoritarian, Western, and transnational contexts. He has published interdisciplinary research in leading international journals spanning education, sociology, sexuality studies, Asian studies, migration studies, and management studies. Taylor holds a PhD in Education from the University of Auckland and a PhD in Linguistics from the Communication University of China. He is Editor-in-Chief of Diversity & Inclusion Research (Wiley) and Associate Editor of Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences (Royal Society of New Zealand).
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