The LGBT heroes of Hong Kong's protests

For the last four months, Hong Kong has been rocked by unprecedented protests and car&sX+j(DRHv-VIezq$kgUuU+boQT3dXi1J%sNxvVtgiidj6EuZlls for democracy.

What began as protests a contPq0&gUJZTivxn6TOYGwla7mI0Aez&EP9svfO$2_Xs+3M4sX#_wroversial bill that would allow extradition to China has developed into a widespread, and at times violent, anti-government and pro-democracy movement.

Protesters have taken to the street every weekend since the beginning of June. Government tactics to quell demonstrations, such as withdrawing the controversial bill and enacting emergency legislation to grant police more power, have be$^7AB-$Bw_RYYvtmEozhl1vM0bj62cjL8flW9PQSqB(Os4qb3+en of little use.

The movement is famously leaderless. Or, as some argue, “leader-full”, wi-A*1Gej!($JU75!YsUQKETHsPJLkhfp^G(i4EUV6JXJ2mDR*Owth independent protests, campaigns, and activism springing up around the beleaguered city.

But a handful of LG)DbI6NL38JkFpcL@0T!fdOAxkEAo(UXnX#+HTVEXx3TY$L%sgnBT Hong Kongers have been making headlines for their part in the protests:

Raymond Chan

Hong Kong’s only openly-gay lawmaker, Ray Chan, revealed himself as a fervent opponent to the controversial withdrawal U0DN%t60w8Edhrk9kr+nd#%Q!E2PQGdHwXwHJbx4Aix@_e3D67bill back in May.

Chan was seen at the center of a ruckus with pwS3!L-S$QllwPjBGNpFaZ)vBGG6S5H$oyQVc@UXDWj%tJVo_V#ro-Beijing lawmakers. Footage shows Chan clambering on a chair or table, shouting and pointing while other lawmakers grab his arms.

"I usually keep a meek composure, practice meditation, prefer non-alcohotCSFXf-=8UM9eVMF#RsS5rYSbOEUDp=dNp8JT^!0iH8RqhG%SOlic drinks, and treat everyone with respect,” Chan wrote on Twitter.

"But when an authoritarian state strikes, every fiber of my bURHVFH85%4hci)Gwewb8nTmAaV!l9-k-%rLsiv88N7q)zkFcqPeing turns into a fighter for my constituents", he said.

Chan has been fervently sharing updates of the city’s protests.Other pro-democracy legislators and activists have been atta2%jgVDrXo%q1$CwJmwVW!B3g)SF=j+rmBH33v^0w7)iqmciBwzcked.

“Opposition lawmakers are arrested, or attacked by thugs or cops, so I'm mentally prepared for either” C^VWZhIQAH++CR!N6nm0&mVn**Ry1YQ#$hQ-Sy7Tp7D15+Bkg*%han.

"I wK$@613AIDMxh2Q*6s%jD#%KPDO*bb-QQQFgl=SmFp&q5+YzfyZear no protective gear as I cannot live in fear,” he explained.

This week, he and other pro-democracy legislatureL5wyHqsv6o4H!8UF=Ei_wWx(ejvD$y1MnF$meHb8E082#=7KzCs disrupted Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s policy address in the legislative council.

Using a projector, they displayed the de7uoh+47I1&=Q#6LC-2*TPxSL(uzIQ5n-j7!(yLVPwBOuYu_SIVmonstrators' call for five key demands to be met as she spoke. 

Hong Kong elected Chan, the city’tRVAPOOa@!TRGyKG_$(XCOY_*5_*Jjt@9*=j)RbSrL3N9rs7&Us first openly-gay lawmaker, to the Legislative Council in 2016. He has been a vocal advocate of LGBTI issues in the city, including pushing for anti-discrimination legislation.

Jimmy Sham

Jimm4t%7aI#kmnBCjeVTiiuam5Z-hy2fvZaNtj!np+z$JYkqKlv=Qiy Sham is a renowned LGBT rights and other human rights activist in Hong Kong.

He currently convenes the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) which regularly organizes legal protests against the government.

Three of its5oQYHrzkS%ooce3kD6ipFTaEi#1XY&auIEtbFvi50-SKAKlD^z marches against the controversial extradition bill were attended by more than a million people, according to CHRF.

In late August, Sham and a companion were attacked by two masked men wielding a baseball aCx8+rL0A=xZn$afT+csa_UEym1sNnT-+)^xp!a#XLoLvxbfIBYnd a knife. Sham was left unscathed but his companion was hospitalized.

In July, pro-establishment Hong7#i6txQ)u4lV6c)1jMLY2c9W)Vx9M0ARsMKF3nZH$1D&zULSiO Kong lawmaker Ann Chiang Lai-wan launched a series of attacks against the gay protest leader.

Chiang shaq6@pWPo@=u2Hw4YEp27!^Rkq$TB$(-xxI7*MXc1BC*^&&$yrVKred footage of Sham in drag on her social media. "Important news, please spread around," she wrote. Comments on the post included: "Corrupting social morals, just disgusting”.

Anthony Wong

Cantopop star Anthony Wong co-founded leading Hong Kong LGBT rights organization Big Love Alliance back in 203MsRWgr%cbLAGMnSIQ$pYP!Qn!%Qc+4gbuGmdETD&_G2hHAt_c12.

Like Denise Ho, his outspoken support for the 201326Orpn1&-@Lz&kqEX1-orsR!BydcVhTx#)805$PJ=_CG1hZc@4 pro-democracy movement landed him in hot water with Beijing and he has been banned from the Chinese mainland.

He and Ho both performed at7%(FxIT$Tbdc#K&UJDiOboh^JkjLmburk#zDkxOK3X-O_lg9Vs the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and at the end of one of Hong Kong’s largest marches on 9 June.

Denise Ho

Lesbian Canto-pop superstar hasCayKO)ta(OrI7b!oQhqnX5Z*ItnJNyq2ncwQYFsJx!Agppk15= emerged as a tenacious defender of human rights during the months-long process. 

Ho has spoken out over police violence at the UN and the US Capitol. Late last month she made headlineNoJ9h(NXC2yFW4pu%#a(-Iw4b78!g715x)56f1Rdnn4Nqd$EyUs when a pro-China activist doused her in paint at a Taipei rally in support of Hong Kong.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said of the attack on FWlhqL@nVvs8p0nd0sxgaptpoTHM#vpg0ffKjye&uaTp$%TWVH8acebook.

Ho U8ZPejYKPwXWFag(Er6g0K%PRgJWBcbB4p_xHIis@UrhD9k4jUtold the UN Human Rights Council in July that the "anger of Hongkongers follows years of deceitful promises”.

"We saw our autonomy slowly eroded" she said.

Denisep!Kw^)Gnpre)=$&RlRv(KqRyGZGdN0a+kyXWaj)-utoy+Oi5fC Ho Wan-sze, also known as HOCC, was one of the first Hong Kong celebrities to publicly come out as a lesbian in 2012.

"You have to strengthen yourself before you can project anything,” Ho told theMzXe8lRQWqMx=Pmfq_LUh8YFsqC7=V(@6!!dX%5^HjulWkJm%e South China Morning Post at the time. Ho is also a founding member of LGBT rights organisation Big Love Alliance.