Moments with Language

Just to recap some special moments in the Hong Kong Pride, when I felt language was working.

• At the beginning the hosts asked the participants to raise the rainbow flag, and she used the word 扯旗, obviously it is a word play. She was playing with the double meaning of that word, as I saw everyone was okay with that. Then I gave a second thought I suddenly realize it is very difficult to have any word play with lesbian sexuality, and the host was asking women to扯旗 as well… well, is it possible?
• In the pride there were volunteers helping to hold some loud speakers to play music. For Chinese there were Denise Ho’s song (金剛經 and 光明會, both can be read as encouraging gay movement somehow), for English there are some typical choices as well, such as Madonna’s Hung Up, Lady GaGa’s Poker face, and of course I’ll survive.
• Other than that it was quite quiet, not much party was going on, people even did not dance, they rarely shouted… Suddenly there was a woman in the crowd said, “Hey, are you guys just come here to walk? It is so boring!” We laughed and she started asking the crowed, “Hey! Tongzhi, are you proud?” No one answered her… she was disappointed, but I can understand, it is still difficult to say you are proud of being Tongzhi, and besides, people around are not used to parade and openly support LGBT community.
• At the same time a group of English speaking lesbian, they shouted, “We are gays and lesbians, we are out and proud!” My friends and me later on joined them and shouted. I felt it is really different to speak in English, simply one feel easier to say something in her or his second language. And with slogan it is easy to make one believe in something, suddenly it reminds me those propaganda, it is the power of words. Suddenly I really felt “out and proud”.
• The woman who said it was boring joined as well. She changed the slogan, saying “We are bisexuals, we are out and proud!” or “We are transsexuals, we are out and proud.” The group smiled but looked at her in an odd way. The woman asked, “Why not? It is alright to be bisexuals and transsexual!” I did not feel like saying that as well actually, I still do not know if it is related to my stand (even I think being bisexuals and transsexual is totally okay), or simply because I am not bisexuals or transsexuals.

News coverage for Pride Parade Hong Kong

內地同志佩服港人勇敢遊行1800人撐攣直共融
(Please visit the link to see the news with photos and video!)

Appledaily had the longest report on the parade, and also it is the best one. The reporter used words like "攣", "直", "自然地擁抱、親吻", he even explained the definition of LGBT! Besides, in the news there are 1800 participants in the parade, it is the same with the number released by the organizing committee.

Work cited
雷子樂，〈內地同志佩服港人勇敢遊行1800人撐攣直共融〉，《蘋果日報》，二零零九年十一月二日。

Pride in Hong Kong (2)

Theme song this year is We are Family of Sister Sledge. Indeed it is a rather old song, I guess the reason they use it is because the radio programme 自己人 in RTHK uses the same song. Audience would be more familiar with this song. Anyway, I love the lyrics of the song. Here comes the video and the lyrics.

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up ev'rybody and sing

Ev'ryone can see we're together
As we walk on by
(FLY!) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
(ALL!) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose

(CHORUS x2)

Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of the world's delights
(HIGH!) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
(WE!) no we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong
This is our family Jewel

This choice is great cause the song is passionate and positive. The words used in lyrics are glamorous like drag queens ("fly just like birds of a feather", wow, feather!), with sisterhood like in lesbians (or gay sometimes)... and after all we are family. It sounds much warmer than being queers. And I guess it is one of the meanings of Pride Parade, to feel that one is not alone.

Pride in Hong Kong (1)

It is what they called Rainbow Shower!

There's no point to talk about pride parade without going there, but I am so proud to say finally I have been to Pride Parade in Hong Kong and finished the whole parade and after-party! The atmosphere was not that cheerful indeed but still it was nice. After show party was great! They invited some celebrities to perform, good to see some straight celebrities supporting Pride Parade. Before reflection... let's see take a look of some pictures!

Great to see LGBT work union, but I guess it's still a long way to go for some other professions - hope I will see groups like LGBT firefighter, LGBT police, LGBT teacher one day!

I got a free hug here!