Bigots are really angry about this ‘gay’ lion

PinkNews logo on pink background with rainbow corners.

A pair of lions painted in rainbow stripes have caused outrage among bigots in Hong Kong.

The two brightly coloured creatures have been placed outside HSBC’s offices in the city as a part of their ‘Celebrate Pride, Celebrate Unity’ project.

But anti-LGBT groups have reacted with scorn – claiming the rainbow coloured lions, which are not real lions, are an assault on “family values”.

A petition has been organised by Roger Wong, a prominent anti-LGBT activist, says that the statues are “causing annoyance to the feelings of many Hong Kong people as well as trampling on the existing family values”.

The petition adds that the rainbow colours, intended to represent the LGBT community, are emasculating and deprive “all the strength and stamina of the original lions”.

HSBC has dismissed the petitioners, saying: “Having a workforce that reflects the diversity of our millions of customers in Hong Kong and which draws on a wide range of perspectives makes us better able to serve the whole community.”

Hong Kong has come under pressure with reports that ‘gay cure’ conversion therapy is still used on kids unsure about their sexuality.

Billy Leung of the city’s Pink Alliance told the Hong Kong Free Press that the city must “up its game” on rights if it wants to attract the best talents and stay economically competitive.

“Our Asian neighbors such as Japan, Taiwan and even Vietnam are considering not only prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination but also offering benefits to same-sex couples,” said Leung.

Comments (0)

MyPinkNews members are invited to comment on articles to discuss the content we publish, or debate issues more generally. Please familiarise yourself with our community guidelines to ensure that our community remains a safe and inclusive space for all.

Loading Comments