Hong Kong saw a great variety of actions during the week around IDAHOT 2014. Organized by an alliance of four human rights organizations  (Pink Alliance, Pink Season 粉紅天, Amnesty International Hong Kong, and Transgender Resource Center), the IDAHOT-HK committee was set up to coordinate the 2014 IDAHOT-HK event series.

RainbowLaces social media campaign

The series kicked off with the #RainbowLaces social media campaign. During the first two weeks of May, Hong Kong’s twittersphere was blasted by the pictures of rainbow laces that the Committee produced and distributed to build awareness in the lead up to the Day. Under the theme of “Express yourself, express your rights, express your support!”, ANZ Bank sponsored the rainbow laces campaign.

Transgender Awareness Session

In partnership with Standard Chartered Bank, the series continued by hosting an Active Transgender Awareness Session on May 14th, as a way of putting specific emphasis on the importance of equal rights for transgender communities in Hong Kong.

Candlelight Vigil

The commemorations of IDAHOT 2014 continued further when the IDAHOT Candlelight Vigil took place on May 16th. At the vigil event, organisers screened a series of short videos and presented a panel discussion which shed light on stigma and discrimination, as experienced by LGBT individuals in Hong Kong and worldwide. Amongst the panelists were Geena Rocero, an American/Filipino trans supermodel who recently rose to fame by bravely sharing her coming out story via TEDTalk. Rocero spoke out on the need for expanded legal rights for all trans individuals.

Accompanying Rocero on the stage, Michael J. Morrill, Mr Gay Hong Kong 2013, also shared his experiences of the stigma he faced on a daily basis, as an openly HIV-positive gay man.

The event ended with the audience lighting up candles in remembrance of the victims of hate crimes from Hong Kong’s LGBT community, and from around the world.

The whole vigil event can be watched here:

Street Exhibition

On May 17 itself, a street exhibition showcasing the discrimination that LGBT people are facing internationally and locally was organized by Gay Harmony, Women’s Coalition of HKSAR and , and Rainbow Action. Aiming to raise awareness of the suffering of LGBT people, and to promote anti-discrimination legislation around sexual orientation and gender identity, the exhibition graced the pedestrian lanes of Great George Street at Causeway Bay, with art installations and performances. The organisers also held a ‘Domino down’ event – building a legislative Rainbow Road, where over 400 domino bricks (as a symbol of discrimination) were knocked down to show the six-color rainbow as a symbol of equality.

Hong Kong Rainbow Flashmob – IDAHO 2013 5.17全球彩虹快閃日－閃到來香港. The Global Rainbow Flashmob comes to Hong Kong ! May 17th, 14.30, Great George Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. For more info see http://rainbowflash.org/hongkong/ and the facebook event page http://www.facebook.com/events/4351…

Please note these listings are select and ongoing. If your event is missing from this page or requires updating please email us at contact@dayagainsthomophobia.org.

Thank you, the IDAHO Committee team

Fighting ‘In.Justice’ – LGBT Rights Rally, May 12

An LGBT rights rally was also held for IDAHOT, on May 12 (Mother’s Day in Hong Kong). Organisers – the Hong Kong Pink Alliance together with Amnesty International HK – advised, in the lead-up to the event:

‘The theme this year is “In.Justice” , to reflect the lack of legal protection from discrimination for different sexual orientations and gender identities while such legislation is still distances away. At the rally, different sexual minorities organisations, through speeches or performances, will express their frustration and remember those who suffer along the way. Guests and performers include : Equal Opportunity Commission Chairman Mr. York Chow, Singer Anthony Wong, Boyband C-AllStar, Legislators “Slow Beat” Ray Chan and Claudia Mo.’

Promo Poster for the In.Justice Rally

For more information please see: http://www.tcjm.org/events/idahot-hk/idahot-hk-2013

‘The Global Rainbow Flashmob comes to Hong Kong!’ – Flashmob Action, May 17

A Global Rainbow Flashmob event took place on the afternoon of May 17 (a public holiday in Hong Kong), on Great George Street, Causeway Bay.

Rally was held on 12 May at Chater Garden, Central, Hong Kong. It had a turn out of 600 LGBT and allies. It was an important day because Cantopop star Anthony Wong (who had recently come out at his concert) sang to the audience. It was also supported by politicians from various political parties. More details of the program which included the presentation of the 2012 LGBT climate study here .

In addition, a coalition of activists in Hong Kong held a “Who Stole our LGBT Movement?” street forum to commemorate IDAHO 2012.

The forum featured discussions on the latest strategies for the LGBT movement in Hong Kong, an analysis of homophobia around world, and a review of the collaborations between LGBT organizations and civil society.

The forum, held on one of the busiest streets in Hong Kong, wound up with a fruitful discussion.