Gay Games: amid lukewarm official support and vehement opposition, cool heads must prevail

Most Hongkongers accept that some people are homosexual or bisexual, it’s not against the law, and showcasing our city’s inclusivity seems harmless enough
So, why the mixed reception to the Gay Games when Chinese homosexuality goes back centuries?

Mike Rowse

Published: 4:30pm, 7 May 2023

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Homosexuality has been documented in China for many hundreds of years. Several early Chinese emperors are thought to have had homosexual relationships in addition to heterosexual ones. Emperor Ai of the Han dynasty, for example, is reported to have had a long-running affair with one of his male concubines.

Bian Er Chai, a collection of short stories published in the late Ming dynasty covering similar ground, is famous in Chinese literature. But all emperors had to take female partners to ensure an heir. Homosexuality for both men and women is legal in Hong Kong and on the mainland and, in the latter case, was so for most of the last century, except for a brief period between 1979 and 1997.

Therefore the suggestion, which is sometimes advanced, that homosexuality is somehow un-Chinese and a recent import from the decadent West, is simply absurd and does not correspond to historical fact.

All of which is by way of introduction to the subject of the Gay Games, which are due to be held concurrently in Hong Kong and Guadalajara in Mexico in early November. The first such games were held in San Francisco in 1982; this will be the first time they are held in Asia.

Some may think we already have enough sporting contests – the Olympics, Asian Games, All-China Games etc – but the objective of the Gay Games is to garner acceptance for the LGBTQ community.

In other words, there is a sociopolitical purpose, not just a sporting one. Organisers of the local version want to showcase our city as a caring, inclusive and vibrant international city. That all seems harmless enough, but the response has been somewhat mixed.

Supporters from a gay Christian group attend the annual Gay Pride Parade in Hong Kong on November 7, 2015. Thousands took part, including representatives from the mainland and Taiwan. Photo: AP

The most vociferous opponents have been lawmakers Junius Ho Kwan-yiu and Priscilla Leung Mei-fun. As far back as 2021, they objected to Hong Kong staging the games. Ho described the HK$1 billion (US$127 million) projected economic gain as “dirty money” and a move that might lead to the legalising of same-sex marriage.

Last month, he went a step further and launched an online petition seeking to secure 120,000 signatures against the games. He claimed hosting them would damage the revival of the great Chinese civilisation and could even raise national security concerns. He pointed to Article 23 of mainland China’s national security law, which requires that we carry forward the traditional culture of the Chinese people, and guard against and resist the impact of harmful culture.

I hesitate to challenge Ho on a security issue, but I find that claim far-fetched for the reasons set out earlier.

The government’s response to all this has been cautious. Former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor only “noted” the news when asked in 2017 for her response to Hong Kong’s winning bid to play host.

More recently, Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai said the government would be neutral, observing that the games’ declared objective was to promote inclusion. Advance booking of public sports facilities would be possible if partnering with recognised sports associations. So far, organisers have only managed to secure a single booking of a government facility.

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The response from various government-linked bodies has also been mixed. The Equal Opportunities Commission is listed on the games website as a supporting organisation, which is hardly surprising as its aims are the same as the organisers’. Brand Hong Kong, part of the Information Services Department, sees the games as a useful contribution to overseas image-building.

InvestHK is there as well, together with 10 of the international chambers of commerce registered here. Finally, there is the Hong Kong Tourism Board, although I gather games events have yet to feature in its diary of forthcoming highlights. But there has been silence so far from the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, despite its policy remit including both sports and anti-discrimination.

From the private sector, a variety of companies have signed up, including some tourism-related ones such as hotel groups and Cathay Pacific Airways. Many sports organisations are lending support, though there are some notable absentees.

Gay Games: prejudice, hatred in Legco only hurt Beijing’s wish for harmony

Among prominent local political leaders, Executive Council convenor, legislative councillor and New People’s Party leader Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has spoken strongly in support of the games. She sees it as an opportunity to show our devotion to the protection of human rights. Former Exco convenor Bernard Chan has taken a similar position.

I have absolutely no trouble accepting that some people are homosexual or bisexual and should be accepted in our society. I suspect my views are fairly reflective of the majority local opinion. I also understand that there may be a very small number of people who feel uncomfortable in the gender to which they were assigned at birth. In extreme cases, they may even wish to transition to the other sex.

Such people deserve empathy. But many people, including myself, find some of the LGBTQIA+ classifications difficult to get our heads around. There have been troubling reports from overseas of some cases not being handled well, with disastrous results for the young people concerned. A local transgender case raised several important questions.

To sum up, everyone needs to calm down and cool the debate. Advocates of the community should not be too militant, opponents should be kinder. Let the games begin.

Mike Rowse is the CEO of Treloar Enterprises