China | Not all fun and games

The people of Hong Kong are growing more tolerant

Their government is not

Participants wave during the opening ceremony of the Gay Games in Hong Kong
Let the games beginImage: GGHK Limited / Graham Uden
|HONG KONG

The Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong typically hosts rather humdrum events, such as debating competitions. But on November 4th the arena shimmered with glow sticks, as some 1,500 spectators waved rainbow flags. In some ways the opening ceremony of the Gay Games was similar to that of the Olympics, with LGBT+ athletes marching alongside their countrymen (see picture). The Gay Games, though, have a more carnivalesque atmosphere.

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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Gold medals for some”

From the November 11th 2023 edition

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