‘A backward step’: local LGBT groups call on clubs to drop Manny Pacquiao broadcast following boxer’s anti-gay slurs
The Filipino fighter-turned-politician ignited uproar when he said people in same-sex marriages ‘worse than animals’, but Foreign Correspondents Club still airing April 10 bout, arguing it does not condone his homophobic views
Private members’ bars in Hong Kong are being urged to drop the screening of Manny Pacquiao’s latest boxing match in Las Vegas next Sunday following his homophobic slur stating people in same-sex marriages were “worse than animals”.
While an apology quickly followed, the 37-year-old boxer maintained he was against gay marriage but “not condemning [the] LGBT” community.
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Pacquiao, a former eight division world champion, faces American Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Hong Kong) for what he said would be his last pro bout.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, which is among the establishments televising the bout, was urged to drop its screening.
Earlier this year the Central-based club – a popular watering hole for journalists – hosted a month-long photo exhibition called “Queers of Hong Kong”, depicting life stories in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community – the community of people Pacquiao railed against.
One of the first to raise concerns with the FCC was drug addition councillor Paul Schulte, a visiting scholar in the city and author of Paths to Recovery for Gay and Bisexual Drug Addicts.
Schulte said airing the April 10 event was a “tacit and implicit approval of outrageous remarks and is a great dishonour to those brave people who allowed their faces to be photographed and who faced great risk telling their stories”.
“Please do the right thing and let’s cancel the event,” he added.
Bess Hepworth of LGBT advocacy group Out Leadership said that although the FCC had “a proud history of supporting the LGBTI community” its decision to hold the event “would be a backward step”.
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In its defence, the FCC board of governors said in a statement: “The club has a history of hosting events, from guest speaker talks to televised sports matches, that feature people whose views members may find deplorable.
The club added it did not decide whether to show sports matches based on the comments, views or behaviour of those participating. “Views expressed at any of our events or shown on our televisions do not necessarily represent views held by the club, its board or its members,” it said.
“While the club will proceed to show the sporting event as planned, to be absolutely clear, the club deplores Manny Pacquiao’s anti-gay comments.”
Kowloon Cricket Club and Hong Kong Football Club both said they were not planning to broadcast the bout. It was not clear whether either decision was related to Pacquiao’s comments.
