Hong Kong Gay Pride Parade Draws Record Numbers
- 11 years ago
An estimated 4,000 people joined Hong Kong's Gay Pride Parade on Saturday (November 10) following an outcry over a government vote against public consultation on sex discrimination laws.
On Wednesday (November 7), Hong Kong lawmakers rejected a motion calling for a public consultation on new laws to protect the rights of sexual minorities.
There were calls to end work-place discrimination and for the legalization of gay marriage.
"It's very infuriating. So basically what they are saying is, we don't want this legislation to protect these sexual minorities because we want to protect the right for people to discriminate. And I think it just became such a, it became a trigger point when people just felt, when people who were just saying, ' well, maybe we are not ready to be that political' it really prompted them to say 'that's it, we've really got to do something," said Reggie Ho, chairman of the "Pink Alliance."
The march, organized by various LGBT activist groups, openly-gay legislator Raymond Chan, and Hong Kong celebrities, made its way through Hong Kong's financial district in an array of colorful costumes.
This year's parade drew participants from across Asia, where in some countries homosexuality is still illegal.
On Wednesday (November 7), Hong Kong lawmakers rejected a motion calling for a public consultation on new laws to protect the rights of sexual minorities.
There were calls to end work-place discrimination and for the legalization of gay marriage.
"It's very infuriating. So basically what they are saying is, we don't want this legislation to protect these sexual minorities because we want to protect the right for people to discriminate. And I think it just became such a, it became a trigger point when people just felt, when people who were just saying, ' well, maybe we are not ready to be that political' it really prompted them to say 'that's it, we've really got to do something," said Reggie Ho, chairman of the "Pink Alliance."
The march, organized by various LGBT activist groups, openly-gay legislator Raymond Chan, and Hong Kong celebrities, made its way through Hong Kong's financial district in an array of colorful costumes.
This year's parade drew participants from across Asia, where in some countries homosexuality is still illegal.