The LGBT heroes of Hong Kong's protests

For the last four months(g+wCFWUuK9IGB1St%1h(2I)g(R%ryJnv-6FXJ=NKSPgh@nnWG, Hong Kong has been rocked by unprecedented protests and calls for democracy.

What began as protests a controversialxl20^8Kz2sEZ^h4)ob4@JZnbwMq11b*!-C_Gr-QME_KkobZ7VI 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 tV0rZaGd3Yz5TZbnWTAVwY(79$lH#mQjg*s9+jvtNRo4XYinL5Lhe 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 been of little use.

The mo0FZSGsXnDEOon+s0Agsde=$7NGtqIQ96qrE82(MMT5q^mrpQidvement is famously leaderless. Or, as some argue, “leader-full”, with independent protests, campaigns, and activism springing up around the beleaguered city.

But a handful of LGBT Hong Kongers have S#r7O7Acs1)_#EeKg^i2_3#Qpo-(d_BAn3gN3**)$hNRnwI@c)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 wEHqd&4P!o#P3S%@diPAxRskjxwPw=yp697)KCGGOT9!w#(SIbto the controversial withdrawal bill back in May.

Cha@1J2gOm6p6Yv5S9pOvRFQBkp%EHJ3X)ZVFndLWawt6TOmr%8%rn was seen at the center of a ruckus with pro-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-alcoholic drinks, and treat everyone with respect,” Chl-ti8w%xi-U$RF3c1UD^4s!Rncd)B!#(dm-Q81IG7^c+VKgDyUan wrote on Twitter.

"But when an authoritarian state strikes, every fiber of my being turns into a fighter cxz7WVOPQC*G)w1NJhL@#aKOm1xZfQbwu6efVJJeNtdnx9a#GHfor my constituents", he said.

Chan has been fervently sharing updates of the city’s protests.Other pro-democracy legislators and activistsmc5@k&NgHkOFbCTwqz&)58Dt%1z=IWJtR=-OVqKh2eptsVvP9H have been attacked.

“Opposition laW=#-5rIRi)7mXYH%ckgjO5oKwl6qWlmc-1y6bx&EMb%NdaBailwmakers are arrested, or attacked by thugs or cops, so I'm mentally prepared for either” Chan.

"I wear 7=kj!w_%UQIfnT06W5tV0+qTnQMJcO6q*gqP5MKcV2XjaA3O8Bno protective gear as I cannot live in fear,” he explained.

ThiS1mZ$CTJ1^bNoX_-B9WbEW@u+^xmPPrGvi2O-c%Fr6CT6yqIN4s week, he and other pro-democracy legislatures disrupted Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s policy address in the legislative council.

Using a projector, they displayed the demonstrators' call for five G!B$a)uzz_BOBLPpdmvfd37uOXDFY&ANjg#cP1Ix5-pxV=D6fvkey demands to be met as she spoke. 

Hong Kong elected Chan, the city’s fiNLBrejKj(#^kXD19Sq*yJSXz4UDwPNP=xF*Q9qlM4a0iO(9Ev1rst 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

Jimmy Sham is a renowned LGBT rights andiFsKt9pTFlT_bA8Myenhm9pghkRztrdFpl_hk=Os7*Fu7K#!xG other human rights activist in Hong Kong.

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

ThrT!+BY5li=XCVe+Q#Q6Ob%3Cqa%NR4@aUcfLJnw*Xhp1twGL0F_ee of its 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 and a knif6uCA9MdC%SgnOj@cf_Lxh#((Mt3e^_eNp^z%8L9pbru4u)*4$Te. Sham was left unscathed but his companion was hospitalized.

In July, pro-establu$*aEbD6Pdzi7nx_#6rLQgo(M$tzjfRg(bp0Mob$Ef7UK_$nCtishment Hong Kong lawmaker Ann 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 soXQ=9GOIYV_n#07XQRjOk$h@8-Wz(!r#xtM6ayh&8v8Dllmu!9Pcial morals, just disgusting”.

Anthony Wong

Cantopop star Anthony Wong co-founded leading Hong Kong LGBT rights oS@2Kd6CnL3b__OKlhXQ2Bf0$ddXWg==ub*-@u6&8V^NPvyx#*0rganization Big Love Alliance back in 2012.

Like Denise Ho, his outspoken support for the 2014 pro-democracy movement landed him in hot water wxO!tp=mRaTwhop@&8ZMMAs=7zyT6!J$WPiOn1DfnZZ!xiCX5-Nith Beijing and he has been banned from the Chinese mainland.

He and Ho both performed at the 30th anniversary of thQ9UEuGf03*$gyraVaxiEEM9K1n%Whj$RehZxTl-4EpQutzh+sie Tiananmen Square massacre and at the end of one of Hong Kong’s largest marches on 9 June.

Denise Ho

Lesbian Canto-pop superstar has emerged as a tenacious defendA#GCves#(HopmqW#rj3npoxENtP5OP@s#G(L%5W*mGJ283&F1Uer of human rights during the months-long process. 

Ho has spoken outfO(WbtwL39aP#bp-6oatlalIn=sH4g95_Hk71^Pq1bpuRkbeD= over police violence at the 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.

"This is just the tip of the icZ7h-tWdfKw0hJL0-beWSd-QTBsg^OD1zCsHn)D()*MhsUbUcc7eberg,” she said of the attack on Facebook.

Ho told the UN Human Rights Council in July that the "anqv!KRp+zfb=lw9jTn64%X6TGWybchPj*v$G+=#Vy*ecz0p2T01ger of Hongkongers follows years of deceitful promises”.

"We saw our autonomy slowly eroded" she said.

Denise Ho Wan-sze, also kngrz+IPf#YsXyrU2XOv74*2MXRTGKV0nPG^(jOfvViEQrf6D9qOown 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 the South China Morning Post at the time. Ho is also a founding member of LGfpp)DXP4Ngkt4Dl+)-V@o)Sr6zJa8iEigXs^3ztTdY%^kte6i!BT rights organisation Big Love Alliance.