Blowing Water | Cathay Pacific advert showing same-sex couple holding hands and the reaction by Hong Kong Airport Authority and MTR operator shows how city lags behind on LGBT rights
- The debacle is an indictment of deep-rooted homophobia in the city, which must move forward by following Taiwan in recognising gay marriage
The controversy surrounding Cathay Pacific’s new advert of a same-sex couple holding hands is a sad reminder that homophobia remains rife and deep-rooted in not only the corporate world, but Hong Kong society in general.
The alleged rejection by Airport Authority and MTR Corporation to run the controversial ad with the tagline “Move Beyond Labels” is just the tip of the iceberg regarding sexual prejudice and stigma in our society.
Soon after Cathay Pacific launched its Move Beyond ad campaign in early May, the Family School SODO (Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance) Concern Group, a local body firmly against same-sex couples, said it would boycott the airline and stop using its services.
The MTR Corp and airport authority might have been heavily criticised for their homophobic sentiments, but sadly they probably won’t be the last body to demonstrate such prejudice.
While we applaud Cathay Pacific for their new ad campaign to promote diversity and inclusiveness, with some even praising the airline for being bold and progressive – especially in this part of the world – we must not forget Hong Kong is still very much behind in many areas regarding LGBT rights in both public and private sectors.
