The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Gender Research Centre (GRC) of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies of The Chinese University of Hong Kong today (3 June 2014) jointly launched a dedicated website on the “Feasibility Study on Legislating Against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex (LGBTI) Status” to provide comprehensive information about the Study.

Following the announcement about the launch of the Study on 12 May 2014, a special website (www.cuhk.edu.hk/research/sogistudy) has been set up to promote public understanding on the Study’s purposes and content. 
  
The bilingual website offers quick and easy access to essential information about the Study, including the background, research methods, details of the public forums and focus groups as well as the related online registration. Members of the public, LGBTI individuals and all other stakeholders can express their opinions and concerns about legislating against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity (SOGI) and intersex status, and share their experience of discrimination on relevant grounds through the website.

In addition, to provide an avenue for members of the public and all stakeholders to share their views and concerns on the subject matter, three public forums will be held from June to September 2014 in three different districts respectively.

The first public forum, entitled “Retrospect and Prospect: LGBT and Intersex Status @ Hong Kong”, will be held on 29 June at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The second public forum will be on the interregional comparison on the practices and implications of legislating against discrimination on the grounds of SOGI and intersex status held on 30 August at the Hong Kong Central Library. The third public forum will feature an analysis of the social effects and impacts of legislating against discrimination on the grounds of SOGI and intersex status in Hong Kong held on 27 September in The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Prior registration is required for attending the three public forums.  Interested members can register at the new website. Simultaneous interpretation and sign language interpretation services will be provided at the forums.
  
To generate more intensive discussions and solicit diverse viewpoints on legislating against discrimination on the grounds of SOGI and intersex status in Hong Kong, the research team will organize focus groups for members of the public and LGBTI people to share their opinions.

The focus groups for the public are open for application. The research team will match the applicants with the quota for the stratified groupings set according to socio-economic factors, employment statuses, age groups and religion, etc. All personal-identifiable information will be kept confidential and will be destroyed after the completion of the Study.

All parties interested in getting information about the Study and registering in the public forums and focus groups are welcome to access the dedicated website at www.cuhk.edu.hk/research/sogistudy.

For media enquiries, please contact Ms. Mariana LAW at 2106-2226.

Equal Opportunities Commission
3 June 2014