The recent Pride Parade in Hong Kong called out for law and equality for all as the country's LGBT students still face discrimination. Young people from the universities demand fairness and respect amidst the prejudice, stigma, and inequality they have to brave every single day.
Hong Kong universities' LGBT students ask for legislation that will protect their rights and the rest of other LGBT people in the country. They are also insisting on outlaw sexual discrimination in the long overdue change of law. According to the South China Morning Post, the traditional "Chinese culture, religious dogma, social ignorance, and government inertia" make it harder for them to live freely.
Students said that homophobia is still prevalent in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, it also happens in university campuses.
"I am very open, but people still make jokes about my sexuality," Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student Rick Yim Chun said. He is the president of Action Q, an LGBT student advocacy group in the country established in 2014.
Aside from organizing events and promoting LGBT rights, Action Q also gives shelters to young students who left their homes to have someone to talk to about their sexuality. They claimed that Hong Kong's lack of proper awareness about sexual diversity requires accurate understanding and apt sex education at secondary schools to solve the issue.
So instead of parading their pride at the march, LGBT students showed what they are going through. They often find themselves fighting the fear and shame while trying to accept their situation.
Hong Kong Free Press reported that Hong Kong has no anti-discrimination law that covers sexual orientation yet. Thus, LGBT people make it their major demand at the Pride Parade this year to enact equality into law. They are also asking for the introduction of legal protections for LGBT+ people.
Pride deputy spokesperson Cynthia Cheung said that it is the government's sole responsibility to provide "equal legal protection" for the LGBT+ people. She is also hoping that the country will do more to ensure everyone's "fundamental human rights" as everybody is born equal.
This year's Pride Parade also tackled the introduction of more gender-neutral facilities like public bathrooms. The talk also included the creation of an inclusive environment for genderqueer and transgender people.
Hong Kong's first openly gay lawmaker Ray Chan admitted that the government is taking time to create law for LGBT+ community's legal protection. "The government should deliver a public consultation on anti-discrimination legislation as soon as possible," he said.
Chan revealed that a survey from Hong Kong University proved that two-thirds of the country's people support the legislation. So, the government couldn't deny the dire need to enact the law, and use the "public consensus to stop this measure."
