Hong Kong will host 2400 athletes during the 2023 Gay Games

This weekend 2400 participants from 40 territories around the world will meet in Hong Kong for the first Gay Games in Asia. The Gay Games which were postponed for a year due to the pandemic, are fostering hopes for wider LGBTQ+ inclusion in the regional financial hub. The nine-day event will host athletes who will compete in a range of games, from tennis and swimming to culturally rich activities like dragon boat racing and mahjong.

Hong Kong being the destination for this year’s Gay Games is in perfect timing after a September ruling where Hong Kong’s top court ordered the city’s government to set up a new framework to legally recognize the rights of same-sex couples.

Gay Games History

The Gay Games began in 1982 in San Francisco  1,350 athletes from 12 countries participated in the games at Kezar Stadium and has blossomed to 10,317 participants at the previous 2018 Gay Games in Paris, France.

1990 – Vancouver, BC Canada
1994 – New York City, USA
1998 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2002 – Sydney, NSW Australia
2006 – Chicago, IL USA
2010 – Cologne, NRW Germany
2014 – Cleveland + Akron, Ohio USA
2018 – Paris, France
2023 – Hong Kong

Lisa Lam, co-chair of the Gay Games, believes that LGBTQ+ acceptance in Asia is still lower than in the rest of the world, and it’s important to make sexual minorities visible in the community. The Gay Games are not only an opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills, but also a platform for advocacy and social change.