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E-news Issue 214

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EOC responds to remarks against sexual orientation of Civil Human Rights Front convenor

On 23 July 2019, the EOC issued a statement in response to a Facebook post published by legislator the Hon CHIANG Lai-wan earlier this month. Sharing a video that described the sexual orientation of SHAM Tsz-kit, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front as “sickening”, she wrote, “Important news! Spread the word!”.

While the four anti-discrimination ordinances currently in place – namely the Sex Discrimination Ordinance, the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance and the Race Discrimination Ordinance – do not apply to the incident, the EOC deemed the video derogatory and inappropriate. When expressing an opinion, one should focus on the matter at hand, rather than invoke irrelevant factors, such as a person’s sexual orientation. This is essential for creating a respectful, pluralistic and inclusive society – a vision deeply cherished by the Commission.

To facilitate discussion about eliminating discrimination, harassment and vilification on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status, the EOC released a study in 2016, comparing measures across different jurisdictions, including Macau, Taiwan, Australia, Great Britain, Canada and the Netherlands. Click the link below to learn more.

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