Word: gays
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...distributed stickers with pink hearts on them. The parade was co-organized by Rainbow of Hong Kong, Midnight Blue, Social Movement Resource Centre and the Women Coalition, with support from groups working on myriad issues, including civil rights, HIV/AIDS education and transgender awareness. It represented progress for China's gay community, marking the first large-scale event of its kind in any major Chinese city (only Taipei has hosted similar events). Antonio Licon, a Web designer for Hong Kong Magazine who grew up in Hawaii, said, "I think socially there are a lot of pressures in Hong Kong to conform...
...Kong says it's a world city, but [it] has protocols in place that show it is still a backward country in regard to homosexuals' rights." Hong Kong lacks any non-discriminatory ordinance, and many locals still regard homosexuality with unease. Eric Herrera, a member of a white-collar gay-rights group called Fruits in Suits, which helped organize the parade, said, "I have no problem walking down the streets arm in arm with my partner of 21 years, but it makes many people very uncomfortable...
...Many of the parade participants came from mainland China and Hong Kong's large expatriate community. "I've lived in China for a long time, and I've never marched in a gay-pride parade, so I always had my sister march in Chicago on my behalf," said Scott Wilson, who works in Wanzhou province. Amnesty International's LGBT coordinator in Hong Kong, Medeleine Mok, said, "In mainland China, it's impossible to have a gay-pride march, so this is a very important day that has attracted many people to Hong Kong...
...parade emphasized celebrating diversity and equality but also aired grievances with the Chinese government. Gun Lu of Beijing held a sign protesting censorship of movies and television shows that deal openly with homosexuality. In January 2007, the Broadcasting Authority issued a warning to producers of a show called Gay Lovers for presenting a "pro-gay" view. In March, Hong Kong's legislative council panel unanimously passed a motion demanding that the Broadcasting Authority withdraw its earlier ruling. "Non-heterosexuals rarely appear in the media, and when they do, they are portrayed as effeminate, flamboyant, sissies, perverts or AIDS carriers," said...
...only to your presence, but also to the fact that you are just like them. You have the same right to fall in love like everyone else has and you need to have the same legal rights, and those legal rights are not here yet for people who are gay...