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Opinion | A Hong Kong that stands up for LGBTQ rights would be more attractive to global talent
- There are many more reasons, of course, for Hong Kong to care. It can start by moving towards equal marriage rights for all, and proper healthcare and legal protection for LGBTQ people
- All stakeholders must also raise awareness of a value-neutral, fact-based attitude towards LGBTQ rights
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There has been a lot of talk over how Hong Kong can reboot itself after the past few difficult years.
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There are many issues to fix – and repairing Hong Kong’s reputation and standing in the eyes of the international community takes action and time. An area relatively overlooked, where meaningful change can come from the top down, is the rights of gender and sexual minorities.
There exist many reasons for which we should care for genuine gender and sexuality equality: reasons to do with compassion, with Hong Kong being a secular society, with the urgent need for protection and recognition among LGBTQ individuals, especially teenagers bullied for who they are.
But I want to focus on a particular line of argument. If Hong Kong truly is to attract talent, to show the world it is “back”, our public and private sectors alike must pursue a more progressive policy on same-sex marriage, the enshrinement of healthcare rights and anti-discrimination clauses, and the promotion of a better understanding of LGBTQ rights.
First, Hong Kong must pursue a more progressive policy on same-sex couples. A Gallup survey last year found that 5.6 per cent of American adults identify as LGBTQ. The past 10 years have seen large numbers of the community come out across Southeast Asia, as growing awareness aided the normalisation of openness.
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Extensive research suggests that workplace inclusivity matters as a critical determinant of work preference. Individuals are more likely to feel comfortable in a society where their intimate experiences and self-identification are respected, not brushed aside or stigmatised by the law.
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