Hong Kong Hosts First Asian Gay Games Amidst Controversy and Opposition

Hong Kong, Nov 4 (EFE).- This Saturday, Hong Kong became the first Asian city to celebrate the Gay Games, the international multi-sport event similar to the Olympic Games, after a call from the organizers not to politicize the event. amid protests by activists and legislators opposed to the LGTBQ+ community, who have tried to veto them.

More than 2,300 athletes from 45 countries participated in the opening ceremony of the 11th edition, competing in 36 sports as diverse as martial arts or badminton, as well as others as colorful as traditional dragon boat races and mahjong.

“This is the largest number of Asian representatives in its 41-year history,” the co-president of the Federation, Alan Lang, declared yesterday at a press conference.

Competitors from all over the world are invited, including those from countries where homosexuality remains taboo or illegal.

One aspect that stands out about these games is their integrative nature beyond traditional sports.

“The inclusion of mahjong, a popular game among older Hong Kong people, allows people of different ages to actively participate, create intergenerational connections, and show the diverse talents and interests within the LGBTQ+ community,” Mikel Iturret, a Spaniard, told EFE. from Vitoria Gasteiz that competes in the dragon boat category.

Bureaucratic security problems and complicated logistics have conditioned preparations for these quadrennial Games, a nine-day festival of diversity with multi-sport competitions and artistic and cultural events.

Initially, the Gay Games, which debuted in 1982, were going to be held in the semi-autonomous city in November of last year, but the strict COVID-19 protocols imposed in the territory forced them to be postponed for a year and decided that the Mexican city from Guadalajara was the co-host.

In the opinion of the Federation, the event represents an important step for Hong Kong society, which underlines the legal victories achieved this year, and they affirm that it could serve as a “beacon of hope” in a region where intolerance towards this group is widespread.

This exceptional event takes place in a territory with its own challenges, since, despite being recognized as a cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong is influenced by conservative Chinese norms on sexuality, marked by the traditional family beliefs of Confucianism and Christianity. .

“Some of my local acquaintances cannot openly share their sexual orientation with their families, which indicates that there is still a level of stigma or fear around homosexuality,” lamented Iturret, who has lived in Hong Kong for almost 6 years.

Currently, the financial center does not recognize same-sex marriage, and there are no specific laws against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Still, in a significant development, even though the city’s highest court rejected the legalization of same-sex marriage in September, it also urged the government to establish an “alternative framework” to recognize gay rights.

As the event was getting ready to kick off, a group of seven Hong Kong legislators, including prominent pro-Beijing figure Junius Ho, submitted a letter to the Legislative Council calling for a ban on the event, describing it as containing “Western ideology.” “which seeks to “subvert national security.”

“The Gay Games are sweet poison placed under the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion. The event has strong connections with foreign forces, so it is illegal and should be banned,” Ho defended.

Some accusations that the organization called “unfounded slander”, ensuring that it is not a political entity.

Without a doubt, the greatest political threat hanging over the organization is the Chinese national security law, which, since 2020, has been used to repress, among others, pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and the media.

Various human rights organizations and activists have expressed concern about the possibility that these regulations will be used to persecute the organizers and attendees of the competition, and advocated for the cancellation of the event.

2023-11-04 12:53:10
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