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Lessons from Gay and Lesbian Activism in Asia: The Importance of Context, Pivotal Incidents and Connection to a Larger Vision

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Abstract

Recent success and setbacks in the journey towards the recognition of same-sex marriage in Taiwan has drawn international attention to gay rights in Asia. While Taiwan may be making strides towards recognition of same-sex relationships, in contrast to Europe and North America, gay and lesbian activism has enjoyed only mixed success in Asia. This article examines the development and success factors of activism in five neighbouring jurisdictions: Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia. In doing so, it explores how various elements condition the evolution and achievements of activist efforts. Specifically, the study examines the impact of the political and religious/cultural context on the progress towards equality. Beyond these contextual conditions, it concludes that activists most effectively make critical progress in instances where they are able to capitalize on pivotal incidents that have the potential of generating public empathy, and when they successfully draw connections between their specific claims to the values and needs shared by the larger population.

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Notes

  1. See eg. McCarthy and Zald (1977), p. 1212.

  2. See eg. United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Discrimination and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (2015); Ban Ki Moon, ‘Remarks at event on ending violence and criminal sanctions based on sexual orientation and gender identity’, at http://bit.ly/2l8DrfT.

  3. While recongnising the important struggle of other sexual minorities for legal recognition, such as in the case of gender identity, this article focuses on same sex relationships. There are various reasons for this selection: (b) Article 377 of Colonial Britain targeted especially homosexual relationships and hence provides a consistent starting point for the jurisdictions of Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia. (b) It will be quite impossible to cover well enough in the same review also gender identity topics, especially due to the cultural nuances concerning transgenderisim in different Asia cultures e.g. “third-gender” in Thailand, “Pengkid” in Malaysia.

  4. While the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has legally been a part of the PRC since 1996, it operates its own legislature, judiciary, and executive. Accordingly, laws passed in the PRC are not applicable to Hong Kong and, under the provisions of the Basic Law, will remain such a separate entity until at least 2047.

  5. As progress towards equal citizenship can be obtained via various mechanisms, ‘success’ is herein defined using a broad perspective that includes legislation, court decisions, favorable public opinions, policies and other achievements.

  6. Section 377 of the penal code was the common provision that outlawed homosexual acts across over 40 former British colonies.

  7. Originally clauses 49–53 of the Offences Against the Person Ordinance, repealed under 90 of 1991 §26.

  8. Cap. 224 (2008 Rev. Ed.), §377A.

  9. Act 574 (2015 Rev. Ed.), §377.

  10. Federal Constitution of Malaysia (1957) art. 121(1A). The ‘Syariah Court’ has jurisdiction over Muslims in matters of family law, morality, and adherence to religious practice.

  11. Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China (1979), art. 106.

  12. Gender Equity Education Act, op. cit., n. 113.

  13. Secretary for Justice v Yau Yuk Lung Zigo and Lee Kam Chuen [2006] 4 HKLRD 196 (CFA).

  14. Leung TC William Roy v. Secretary for Justice [2006] 4 HKLRD 211 (CA).

  15. Cho Man Kit v. Broadcasting Authority [2008] HKCFI 383 (CFI).

  16. Public Order Act (Chapter 257A) (2012 Rev. Ed.), §5(1).

  17. Broadcasting Act (Chapter 28) (2012 Rev. Ed.).

  18. Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (Chapter 206) (2002 Rev. Ed.).

  19. Lim Meng Suang and another v Attorney-General and another appeal and another matter [2014] SGCA 53.

  20. Hong Kong is a quasi-autonomous region of PRC in which the government operates under a ‘one country, two systems’ model—members of the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) are uniquely comprised of equal numbers of legislators elected in popular elections and representatives in functional constituencies, elected by business interest groups. Heading the Executive Council (“ExCo”) is the Chief Executive who is elected by popular vote from a shortlist of candidates pre-vetted by the 1200-strong, pro-Beijing Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).

  21. Director of Immigration v. QT [2018] HKCFA 28.

  22. ABN AMRO Bank; AIG Insurance Hong Kong; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group; The Bank of New York Mellon; BlackRock Asset Management North Asia; Credit Suisse; Goldman Sachs; Morgan Stanley; Nomura International (Hong Kong); Royal Bank of Canada; Societe Generale Hong Kong Branch; State Street Bank and Trust; Barclays; Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Hong Kong; and Macquarie Group.

  23. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld; Allen and Overy; Ashurst Hong Kong; Clifford Chance; CMS Hasche Sigle Hong Kong LLP; Eversheds Sutherland LLP; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Herbert Smith Freehills; Hogan Lovells; Latham and Watkins; Linklaters; Morley Chow Seto; Morrison Foerster LLP; Oldham, Li and Nie; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP; and Ropes and Gray LLP.

  24. Joint Press Statement by the 31 intervening financial and legal firms on the QT case (Hong Kong, 4 July 2018).

  25. e.g. Constitution of Singapore (1999 Rev. Ed.) art. 14, relating to the freedom of speech, assembly and association.

  26. Act 15 (‘Sedition Act’) (1948) §3.

  27. PP v. Azmi Sharom [2015] 8 CLJ 921, para. 44.

  28. Hannah Ellis-Petersen, ‘“This election is personal”: Mahathir Mohamad, 92, vows to stop “corrupt” protégé’ The Guardian (Putrajaya, 2 May 2018) https://bit.ly/2lY2pNa.

  29. See e.g. Darren Sherkat and others, ‘Religion, politics, and support for same-sex marriage in the United States, 1988–2008’, 40(1) Social Science Research (2011), 167–180.

  30. ‘Religion prevails in the world’ Gallup Internationalhttps://bit.ly/2EHquCX.

  31. Background brief prepared by the Legislative Council Secretariat for the meeting on 19 May 2014 (2014) at http://bit.ly/2mJ8JqL; Wong, ‘Post-identity politics’, op. cit., n. 31, p. 178, 184.

  32. Domestic and Cohabitation Relationships Violence Ordinance (2009) §2.1(a).

  33. Sexual Offences Act 1967; later amended by Sexual Offences Act 2003.

  34. Most notably the federal legalization of same-sex marriage in the US without offering federal protection against discrimination.

  35. Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ [2015].

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Acknowledgements

The research was initiated while the lead author was a Visiting Fellow at HKU Center for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL). The Arthurs would like to thank the center’s director, Dr. Puja Kapai, for her useful feedback and insights.

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  1. Global Future of Work Foundation, Pujades 126, 08005, Barcelona, Spain

    Ben Capell

  2. Centre for the Study of International Peace and Security, London, UK

    Sherif A. Elgebeily

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Capell, B., Elgebeily, S.A. Lessons from Gay and Lesbian Activism in Asia: The Importance of Context, Pivotal Incidents and Connection to a Larger Vision. Sexuality & Culture 23, 882–905 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09597-4

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