The LGBT heroes of Hong Kong's protests

For the last four months, Hong Kong ha+Ol_acIDH6rbghFoyhTpO_DZY_$MGtv5c)jh8i8a2TXI_$t4_Js been rocked by unprecedented protests and calls for democracy.

What began as protests a controversial bill that would allow extraCJ1#TqOdATZzU6qA1*6G4InV3x0XtskX&(+D7vLn(YAKY0=CmVdition 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.eE2A3fn((gj3eqZl&So$Iu=6AlJTUkRtY=$KkwEo4S2_%S#QPJ Government tactics to quell demonstrations, such as withdrawing the controversial bill and enacting emergency legislation to grant police more power, have been of little use.

The movement is famously leaderless. Or, as some argue, “leader-full”, with independent protests, campaigns, and activism springing upx1OG)HUqDZth0dH(XYi#!CgFq7yK67lh^g)h=!1fF)6V9J@LT! around the beleaguered city.

But a handful of LGBT Hong Kongers haveWY!S0C!wIcqL8Tz_keIkZq8bgg6I+YGpW94#5nGHrOFgOy6fu* 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 tOKLZC8R-%e-bT#rZSm^JYblSocgQ!z1EWtZV(BlDwpp3SVlwe$o the controversial withdrawal bill back in May.

Chan was seen at the center of a ruckus with pro-Beijing lawmakers. Footage shows Chan clambering on a chair or table, shouting and pointing J)qNtLt^*f#!%U_!M=zN7FA&$EJodCuQmq00Q6MF!2Syx-$_akwhile other lawmakers grab his arms.

"I usually keep a meek composure, practice meditation, prefer non-alcoholic drinks, and treats5!a(Mpd%TnNwhT3!@*w!Yv844We6FT+=0971x$msKyltPR(Jq everyone with respect,” Chan wrote on Twitter.

"But when an authoritarian state strikes, every fiber of my being turns into a fighter for my cjJIwCp1Pf6FIPI5ms#@M0QGV5RrYL$G)NUD!ACrWIXzv$oYi9#onstituents", he said.

Chan has been fervently sharing updates of the city’s protests.Other pro-sklnV)eMGb1lE*7rPL)ugH!yPNfm*jqDdhi7%4c%cHYF6%-@Qsdemocracy legislators and activists have been attacked.

“Opposition lawmakers are arrested, or attacked by thugs or cops, sR$0Ff=pi-_1#=f94yNRaNav@8j*(+2=dSIHywvi$8Z!#MO5pG7o I'm mentally prepared for either” Chan.

"I wear no protective gear as I cannot live in fea=i9ey*6+bKSGWtfIm(1NKxlB2FTZZIjVZM0FKBLcz@G=dFqG5Er,” he explained.

This week, he and other pro-democracy legis=2Reip*qIjDdHKytwAj2GobPDlPe^*QHe%6w(DqapM%aD^9gf+latures disrupted Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s policy address in the legislative council.

Using a projector, they *XH&u9Hlb0CVGan7(FUO!iR=uL%-LQvJ_=YuWpZf35-RSFUquWdisplayed the demonstrators' call for five key demands to be met as she spoke. 

Hong Kong elected Chan, the city’s first openly-gay lawma_j*xo!$Az+_6Bbr=lty^al#cvUU4lkWrPHy(E)1qs7EU1FKhj%ker, 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

Jimmy Q8vQsT!yuLRTN$mjPkidX$14n*okMz%8jeh4$uowGWI%n%yzq5Sham 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 its marches against the controversial extradition bill were attended by more than a million peV=Dwlm*)lPhSmLXMN!MZIsWWAK_Q5XMZ)k)a6y1$k7fWjM3LGgople, according to CHRF.

In late August, Sham and a companion were attacked by two masked men wielding a baseball and a knife. Sham was left unscathed 91&LZm$iZ4kNy-lJKm5Crw06IW1OFsbQ^a*G&V($GW!Qmms4!1but his companion was hospitalized.

In July, pro-establishment Hong Kong lawmaker AnK#Xnsb-O&HC&OnHnT#UkXV(52VJD1hZkN_mV7hy!2!hLornu#Hn Chiang Lai-wan launched a series of attacks against the gay protest leader.

Chiang shared 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$lUrk#Gh&y^Ukd*nwLrTTDkcxcBw2wcSCK8%o@4uHe38nwcSwq disgusting”.

Anthony Wong

Cantopop stTneQC8N*om*qtS^Dk!AvLuQfK_KnX+j$XV&%zsq)dsTSQxlk02ar Anthony Wong co-founded leading Hong Kong LGBT rights organization Big Love Alliance back in 2012.

Like Denise Ho, his outspoken support for the 2014 pro-democracy movement landed him in hot water with Beijing and he has been banned from the Chinesmk4t0MxOY*UHOKR^brS)NbpM3G6H*dAG4K^+vy(vVG553yr)hye mainland.

He and Ho both performed at the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and at %m+Xqrlb7Lh9Vtlpy#hlnZ_y5-Gexyoyw=xF2M4kf(f70VZ5WBthe end of one of Hong Kong’s largest marches on 9 June.

Denise Ho

Lesbian Canto-pop superstaYaJQ0^r^(93KrUWmW2!@a$SlXSV9H_EM$L_$l&@&waP9OKJ^n-r has emerged as a tenacious defender of human rights during the months-long process. 

Ho has spoken out over police violence at thezS#0-c86zv6Yqs9AVMy3@CS2_=koDo9UnIrX7EFWFZTUTTkc)s UN and the US Capitol. Late last month she made headlines when a pro-China activist doused her in paint at a Taipei rally in support of Hong Kong.

"ThisX#&iy6xU_45^Ru(TgOlZjg4cjXw50Q&$W&AmQJZ1xHgd2^seSS is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said of the attack on Facebook.

Ho told the UN Human Rights Council in July that thexHDSfsoPDdF38L@$G0Z4utpF2gQlLjgMlHJEJmL(MS1VI*vhVW "anger of Hongkongers follows years of deceitful promises”.

"We saw our autonomy slowly eroded" she said.

Denise Ho Wan-sze, also known as HOCC, wasB#@%$04hT4aNKyGX%8SRv8LPCN&e*jMr+RP)I=mzspAo+3C=2O 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 the South China Morning Post at the time. Ho is also a founding member of wNWl89X)GCjq4w!pN(@j87g5FBtZ8h=dfj*lyz_TqITXg@SEqTLGBT rights organisation Big Love Alliance.