Gay Games HK kick off amid controversies: How can organisers uphold the spirit of diversity?

Organisers of the Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023 (GGHK), which kicked off today, have reiterated that the upcoming games will purely focus on sports, arts and culture, amid security and rights concerns proposed by lawmakers and activists opposing LGBTQ+ movements. 

This came after the community group leader Thomas Leung told local media on Wednesday that the organising committee should not leverage the games as a platform to promote LGBTQ+ movements in Hong Kong.  

The group also questioned the source of the event’s funds and believed that it might endanger national security. 

In response, the Gay Games Hong Kong Organising Committee said in a written statement on Wednesday that GGHK is not a political organisation, the Gay Games have never been a platform for promoting any specific political agenda and the aim of the event is not to advocate for any specific political or legislative changes.  

“The vision of the Gay Games has always been to create a sports, arts and cultural festival that celebrates Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best.  By celebrating diversity and inclusivity, the Gay Games will help show the world the liveliness and vibrancy of Hong Kong,” the statement reads. 

“We understand and acknowledge that there are various viewpoints on many social issues.  Our focus is solely on promoting inclusivity and unity through sports and culture […] On the point raised about the previous games in Chinese Taipei, we cannot comment on the political aspects or allegations made. However, we reiterate that the principles of Gay Games are Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best, everyone participates as an individual transcending nationality.”  

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from the government said the government has informed organisers that whether the Gay Games are held in private places or not, they must comply with Hong Kong laws and regulations.

Social sentiments regarding the incident 

In fact, this is not the first time GGHK has faced controversies. Back in April, lawmaker Junius Ho launched an "Anti-Gay Games in Hong Kong Petition", aiming to collect 120000 signatures. He said "GGHK will damage the great revival of Chinese civilisation" and "We must think of national security, some might take the opportunity of GGHK to destroy Hong Kong". 

The incident has drawn mixed reactions across local social platforms. According to media intelligence firm CARMA, over the past 48 hours, there has been significant discussion surrounding the petition filed by these lawmakers, totalling more than 1,500 mentions. Notably, approximately 38.6% of these mentions convey a negative sentiment, while 13.4% express a positive sentiment. 

The negative sentiments largely stem from netizens who find the legislators' claims to be absurd, particularly their attempt to associate LGBTQ individuals with national security risks, said Charles Cheung, CARMA’s HK GM. Conversely, the positive sentiment is primarily driven by netizens who actively support the Hong Kong Gay Games. Some netizens draw comparisons between Hong Kong and Taiwan, highlighting the latter's more progressive stance on LGBTQ rights. 

What more can be done? 

On the PR front, Celine Cheung, account director, RSVP Communications told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that despite the fact that many HongKongers accept the existence of the LGBTQ+ community, there are still some people who are quite conservative, it's disheartening to see such inclusive events being discouraged.  

In order to uphold its commitment to advocating inclusivity and diversity, Cheung said GGHK’s PR or marketing teams can insist on delivering the right message to the right target audience, “Social media platforms such as Instagram are good ways to amplify the event and its mission,” she added. 

Given that Hong Kong is the first Asian city to hold the Gay Games, the organisers have found themselves in a difficult position due to growing concerns related to national security and disruptions caused by the pandemic.  

Brian Yeung, co-founder, Brandstorm Communications, said although the games are entirely lawful, the aspect of national security provides a convenient justification for conservative factions in Hong Kong to demand its cancellation.  

Despite the Hong Kong Gay Games team facing a challenging situation, Yeung said they are doing a decent job in navigating the complexities amidst the controversy.  

“One area with room for improvement is its social media presence can include other languages as English resonates more with expats and the international community, occasionally losing touch with the conservative groups and local audiences,” he added.  

Given that Hong Kong has a longstanding legacy of cultural exchange between western and eastern values and cultures, it is important that the marketing and comms community is prepared to tackle differing viewpoints and respond in a sensitive fashion, said Kate Kwan, managing director, GCR at TEAM LEWIS.

"The key principle is to respect differences, including sentiment, and aim to prevent an escalation, or even the diversion of discussions, to the point of confrontation," she added.

Related articles:

Gay Games Hong Kong names RFI Asia as official marketing and PR agency
Gay Games HK highlights the 'Lion Rock spirit' with new ad video and mascot Sunny
Gay Games organisers confident registrations at event in HK will surge