Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination watchdog slams politicians’ ‘stigmatisation’ of coming Gay Games
- Equal Opportunities Commission chair says lawmakers who oppose the Games are making ‘a mountain out of a molehill’
- Outspoken lawmaker Junius Ho has called the Games ‘disgraceful’, while Priscilla Leung has argued supporting them is tantamount to advocating same-sex marriage
Hong Kong’s anti-discrimination watchdog has warned certain lawmakers to stop their “stigmatisation” of the upcoming Gay Games, adding that the city’s hosting of the international event has nothing to do with supporting same-sex marriage, as some have claimed.
Equal Opportunities Commission chairman Ricky Chu man-kin on Thursday hit back at criticisms made by politicians such as the outspoken legislator Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, who the day before had called the event “disgraceful”.
Chu told a radio programme the Games’ organiser had been preparing since 2016, and that the event only aimed to promote the values of equality, inclusiveness and diversity, which were consistent with his commission’s remit and deserving of support.
“Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill,” he said. “All people can participate in the sports event and it is completely different from advocating same-sex marriages in the city.”