Hong Kong: Public Opinion Toward LGBTQ People Is Higher Than Ever
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A new study conducted by the Sexualities Research Programme of The Chinese University of Hong Kong has uncovered some great news, and right before Hong Kong is set to host Gay Games 11 in the year 2022. LGBTQ acceptance in Hong Kong is higher than it has ever been, and opposition to LGBTQ legal rights is at a historical low, which runs contrary to the claim that Hong Kong society isn’t ready for LGBTQ protections for cultural and social reasons.
This latest update on LGBTQ acceptance in Hong Kong finds that 60% of Chinese-speaking phone survey respondents agree there should be legal protections against discrimination for LGBTQ people. In addition, nearly 30% were neutral on the issue, with only 12% of respondents disagreeing with legal protections for queer people.
When it comes to gay marriage rights, 49% of respondents agree that lesbians and gays should be able to marry same-sex partners, and 28% remain neutral. When looking only at respondents aged 18 to 34, support for legal protections and gay marriage is at an astounding 80%.
In addition to LGBTQ acceptance in Hong Kong being higher than ever, public support of LGBTQ-inclusive businesses and the trans community is also increasing. If a business organization openly opposes pro-LGBTQ laws, a majority of Hong Kong residents (54%) look upon that business “negatively” or “very negatively.”
While this recent study on LGBTQ acceptance in Hong Kong may seem rather obvious and intuitive — particularly following the fight for LGBTQ rights and acceptance we’ve all been following in Taiwan — it has one very important consequence: No longer can the government, politicians and policy makers argue that Hong Kong “isn’t ready” for laws and public policy offering equal rights to the LGBTQ community.
