Hong Kong's Gay Floatilla - 7 October 2012

[Guest fountainhall]

Fancy joining a Gay Pride Event that is not just another street Parade? If so, head for Hong Kong and be there on Sunday 7 October 2012, for this is when the annual Gay Floatilla sets off for a celebration of “gay pride on water.”

 

Around 1,000 gorgeous looking guys and gals, many in their Speedos and other slightly revealing swim trunks, set off for a day out on a fleet of boats, junks, cabin cruisers and barges hired by a group of LGBT revelers to party the day away on some of the gay-friendly beaches around Hong Kong. Participants don’t only come from Hong Kong. 2009 saw visitors from Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Taiwan. Each paid around US$45 which included the boat hires, docking fees and free-flowing food and drink on board. Part of the proceeds are donated to gay charities.

 

It sounds like a bundle of fun. Here is a vdo of the first Floatilla in 2006 -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euQD5zv8E6M

 

- and a report and photos of the 2009 Floatilla –

 

http://www.othershee...ith_photos.html

 

After each day's sailing, there is a big disco party. More details -

 

https://www.facebook...155606987860255


 

Another event for your calendar is the annual HK Lesbian and Gay Film Festival from 16 November to 2 December.

[Rogie]

. . . “gay pride on water.”

 

It sounds like a bundle of fun. Here is a vdo of the first Floatilla in 2006 -

 

Nice to see people enjoying themselves.

 

As a matter of interest, I think i am right in saying you lived in HK at one time FH. Assuming that was before 2006 (the date of the first 'flotilla'), how would you say the LGBT scene there has developed since you left?

[Guest fountainhall]

Yes, I lived full-time in Hong Kong for over 20 years between early-1979 and late-2001 (in between I was in Tokyo). Since my business is still based there, I return for a few days every six weeks or so.

 

The major change in Hong Kong actually came in 1991 when the Victorian-era colonial laws against sodomy were finally deleted from the statute books. Prior to that date, there were very few gay venues in the city. On Hong Kong Island, there was the basement Dateline Bar which you reached by going down a long flight on steps. These were always brightly lit because the Police Special Unit (the gay spy brigade) were rumoured to have an apartment opposite and so could take photos of all going in and out. Disco Disco, not far away, was the only gay disco, and Wally Matt the only gay bar on the Kowloon side of the harbour. One hotel sauna on the island was gay-ish, but only for making contacts. Nothing usually happened on the premises. Yet there was still quite a thriving private gay scene.

 

After 1991, gay saunas started sprouting up, firstly very small and housed in apartments. Later larger ones would open. Soon a large bar/disco named Propaganda opened at the end of upper Wyndham Street. This was a great place to meet guys and was always jam-packed body-to-body at week-ends. Propaganda soon moved, but remains the territory's most popular gay disco. The old location has only recently become more of a gay lounge bar under the name Psychic Jack. And other bars have opened in various parts of the city.

 

In terms of gay venues, there has not been much of a change between 2001 and 2012, except in their number. In terms of attitudes, again I don't notice much change apart from one which I have also found in Japan. When it was difficult for gay men to come out, more young Chinese and Japanese tended to seek relationships with westerners. A foreigner was more likely to have a larger apartment, for example, which would afford a couple greater freedom to be themselves. Foreigners also would have a higher income and so provide a better lifestyle.

 

As income disparity in Hong Kong narrowed, more and more young Chinese started forming relationships amongst themselves. When I go now to bars, Chinese with Chinese is a lot more common than Chinese with westerners. Which is as it should be.

 

One of the joys of living in Hong Kong is the ability to go out on boats and junks at the week-ends. It is the perfect way to relax, provided you know people who own them! Hong Kong has an amazing number of relatively hidden beaches which can only be reached by sea.

 

Sadly I haven't been on a Floatilla, if only because I was not aware of it until I came across the website this morning! And even more sadly, I cannot attend this year because I have relatives coming to Bangkok that week-end. One event I will definitely miss, though, is the Hong Kong Gay Pride Parade. It is a pale shadow of Taipei's, and I am definitely booked for Taipei again at the end of October