Editorial | Gay Games success can make Hong Kong proud

History will be made on Saturday when the Gay Games formally begin in Hong Kong, the first Asian city to host the event. This follows preparations that have been fraught with setbacks and obstacles over the past six years. That they finally can go ahead, despite fierce opposition from some circles, is already a victory for the city.

Some 2,400 participants from 40 territories will compete in a wide range of sports and cultural activities, including swimming, tennis, dragon boat racing and mahjong. There will be ceremonies and concerts at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium and a Festival Village at the waterfront in Central, with live performances, workshops and stalls for guests and the general public.

The nine-day spectacle is as symbolic as it is meaningful. With the pandemic and political turbulence having mostly subsided, the city is well-positioned to stage what is said to be the world’s largest inclusive sports, arts and culture event open to all. It is most fitting the Games are being held in Asia, where the struggle to overcome homophobia and discrimination is still ongoing.

With the city eager to rebuild itself on the international stage, the event provides an excellent opportunity for it to raise its profile. It also comes at a time when the call for acceptance and equality is growing louder. Recent legal victories in relation to rights and benefits for same-sex partners have prompted the government to speed up reviews for fairer policies. But there are also conservative voices in society, and some politicians went as far to link the event with threats to national security. While the Games should not be politicised, critics have highlighted the sensitivity of the issue.