Gay Games bookings plea

Carine Chow

Organizers of Hong Kong's first Gay Games wants the government to allow advance bookings for 35 public venues as it entered its 500-day countdown yesterday.

The Games are expected to attract 12,000 participants and more than 75,000 spectators from 100 countries, generating more than HK$1 billion in revenue for the SAR's beleaguered hospitality and retail sector.

Twenty-one of the 56 venues have been confirmed - all of which are private sector or outdoor venues, organizers said.

The remaining 35 are run by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and organizers are still negotiating to book them a year in advance like national sports organizations.

"We urge the Hong Kong government and organizations to support the Gay Games and allow them to run smoothly by enabling the booking of venues," said Suen Yiu-tung, a gender studies assistant professor from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Suen said Hong Kong is actually more inclusive than thought, as some local businesses decided to add rainbows to their logos during the celebration of Pride Month. The younger generation also showed greater acceptance of sexual minorities, he added.

But Suen questioned whether the city is prepared to welcome thousands of participants from around the world, citing a recent study he conducted on 234 transgender people in Hong Kong.

"Forty-two percent of respondents said they faced negative treatment when using immigration services," he said.

One-third of respondents faced difficulties when using public toilets, and that includes experiencing verbal assault or being asked whether they had gone into the wrong toilet.

Lisa Lam Mun-wai, the cochair of the Gay Games Hong Kong, said they are discussing providing gender-neutral facilities with venue providers.

Asia's first Gay Games will be held in Hong Kong from November 11 to 19 next year, and will include 36 sports disciplines and several mega events alongside music festivals and LGBTQ+ exhibitions.

An opening ceremony featuring performances from local celebrities will be held at Hong Kong Stadium.

The Games will also see the debut of four sports - dragon boat racing, trail running, e-sports and dodgeball.

Previously, several lawmakers have objected to the government support to the Gay Games. The economic benefits Hong Kong will generate from the Games are "dirty money," Junius Ho Kwan-yiu said.

"It is normal that the community has different opinions," Lam said. "We hope that we can act as the channel for communication and promote dialogue. In the end, the Gay Games is only the beginning."