Hong Kong will be the first Asian city to celebrate the Gay Games starting Friday, co-organizing them with a Mexican city in one of the financial center’s biggest events since the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19despite calls for a ban by activists and legislators opposed to the efforts LGBTQ.
The city, governed by Chinalacks laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation and does not recognize same-sex marriage, but its community LGBTQ has scored some legal victories this year.
The most important was the ruling handed down in September by its highest court, which set a period of two years for the government to establish a legal framework that recognized unions between people of the same sex.
More than 2,300 athletes from 45 countriesamong them United Kingdom, China, South Korea and the United Statesthe organizers reported, Gay Games Hong Kong (GGHK).
“Not only have we been able to introduce the games to the region, but we have the largest number of participants from Asia who have joined the Gay Games in its 41-year history”he declared at a press conference on Thursday Alan Langco-president of the organization.
The government of the former British colony has approved the Gay Gameswhich run until November 11, but has advised organizers to respect the laws and regulations of “safe and orderly manner”.
“Our goal is not to advocate for any specific political or legislative change, but to provide a platform for sport, arts and culture that promotes inclusion and diversity”declared this week the organizing committee of the Games.
However, concerns about the national security law that Beijing just imposed on Hong Kong will keep the Taiwanese delegation away.
“The main reason (…) this time is that the safety of Taiwanese players cannot be guaranteed”declared Yang Chih-chunof the Taiwan Gay Sports and Movements Associationadding that it had been “a painful decision” do not send athletes.
Instead, the Taiwanese athletes will go to the Mexican city of Guadalajarawhich co-organizes the Games at the same time.
Several legislators from Hong Kong have publicly expressed their opposition to the event, stating that it posed a threat to national security, subverted traditional Chinese family values and followed a “western ideology”.
Source: Ambito
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