5 LGBTQ+ trailblazers elevating queer visibility and reshaping conversations about Pride in Hong Kong

Gigi Chao is an influential figure in the property development industry who made headlines when she publicly came out as a lesbian. In 2012, Chao gained international attention when her father, property tycoon Cecil Chao, offered millions of dollars to any man who would marry her. Chao responded with a defiant open letter in the South China Morning Post that also served as a public call for greater respect for the LGBTQ+ community. 

In 2019, she co-founded Hong Kong Marriage Equality, an NGO that advocates for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong. As the executive vice-chair of Cheuk Nang Holdings, she has used her platform to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and promote acceptance within Hong Kong’s business community.

Read more: Property tycoon Cecil Chao and his daughter Gigi on building a lasting legacy

Celebrated badminton player Yip Pui Yin was one of Hong Kong’s first openly gay athletes. She has been candid with the media about coming out to her parents in her 30s, as well as her joyous relationship with her partner, Tinky. In her role as an ambassador for Pink Dot in 2021, she shared that since coming out publicly her “world has opened up” and that the response has been “overwhelmingly positive” from friends and supporters. 

Her success in sports has made her a activism all the more visible. She reached the third round of the World Badminton Championships in her first appearance in 2005, when she was just 16 years old, won a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games and a gold at the 2009 East Asian Games, and reached the quarterfinals at the 2012 London Olympics.

Kayla Wong, the ethical fashion entrepreneur and prominent LGBTQ+ voice, has worked with her wife Elaine Chen-Fernandez to foster safe, creative spaces for all. Daughter of actor Michael Wong and model Janet Ma, Wong’s personal life, including coming out, has always been under the limelight. Not only has Wong managed this with grace, she has used her platform to drive awareness of the complexities of being LGBTQ+ in Hong Kong.

In addition to founding the sustainable fashion brand Basics for Basics, Wong runs the Casa of Love photo project, which beautifully captures lesbian relationships. She also provides creative direction for The Wild Lot, an experimental event space founded by her wife. 

Read more: Kayla and Irisa Wong discover the precious roles of skincare and sisterhood

Asha Cuthbert, a Hong Kong-born Eurasian Youtuber, went viral with thoughtful social content at 17, and has since built an impressive career as an actor, model and television personality. 

The British Filipino media personality came out to her parents as bisexual as a teen, and in the years since has used her platform to promote LGBTQ+ representation in Hong Kong’s entertainment and fashion industries. She has starred in three popular Chinese television dramas over the past two years, including the massive hit Ossan’s Love (2021), Hong Kong’s first mainstream LGBTQ+ television drama. She has said that she feels proud that the show offered families in Hong Kong an opportunity to have honest discussions about LGBTQ+ issues.

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