CrossFit: tired of hiding his sexuality in the Middle East, coach finds tolerance in Hong Kong – ‘I can express myself here’
- A member of the LGBT community, Lucas Morimitiso is now a coach at CrossFit Typhoon in Sai Ying Pun
- He previously worked in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, where the Brazilian says ‘there is no tolerance’
Lucas Morimitiso’s journey to CrossFit Typhoons in Sai Ying Pun has been a long and winding one, to say the least.
But the hardships the 28-year-old endured were all worth it, after having to hide his sexuality for years while coaching in the Middle East.
A member of the gay community, and a former competitive gymnast who retired in 2012, Morimitiso’s life in CrossFit began as a coach at a gym in his home country of Brazil. But he and many of his colleagues were let go when the gym began to struggle financially.
“I had my salary that month. And I decided to be a businessman. I took all the money I had and hosted gymnastic seminars around the country,” Morimitiso said.
“I travelled the entire country of Brazil teaching – there was not an area I did not visit. After that, I travelled the world teaching people. Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa.”
He visited 28 different countries, and began to learn their languages too – French, English, Arabic.
In the Middle East, he began to settle. He stayed in Saudi Arabia for eight months, then Egypt for eight months, followed by Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
He was making a lot of money, but it came at a cost too.
“When you talk about Arabic countries, you need to understand the kind of situation you are dealing with,” he said.
“Let’s say, they are so restrictive about everything – politics, economy, diversity, and when you talk about gay people. They are against all this kind of thought.
“It is a crime. But I never hid, because they never asked me. I never let them go to that area in my life, I just answered ‘yes, no, yes, no’.”
Morimitiso did not even realise the stress he was under until he was at the airport leaving Saudi Arabia.
At immigration, officers started searching all of his bags and he became nervous. The months of repression had taken their toll.
Still, he stayed in the Middle East until he had finally had enough in Abu Dhabi.
“The final reason was basically how they treat people like women. Diversity in general and how they expect the foreigners to behave. They handle situations in a terrible way, with anyone. There is no tolerance,” he says, adding he was afraid his employer would start asking uncomfortable questions.
After a bit more travelling, Morimitiso has now settled in Hong Kong – and he couldn’t be happier.
“In Hong Kong, I can talk with my friends, I can express myself,” he said. “It’s not a problem. In the Middle East, a lot of things are prohibited. Even hanging out at the bar, it’s not allowed. Religion is the law.
“The LGBT community in Hong Kong is really, really fun here in all aspects. I like it and enjoy it here.”
