D-Day for the Gay Games. The global gathering of the LGBTQ community kicks off this Friday, November 3, in Hong Kong. This is the first time the event has been held in Asia. And for the first time, the Gay Games 2023 are being held simultaneously on another continent, in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. More than 2,300 athletes from 45 countries, including Great Britain, China, South Korea and the USA, are in Hong Kong. Alan Lang, co-chairman of the organizing committee, explained at a press conference on Thursday November 2: “Not only have we been able to introduce the Games to Asia, but we also have the largest number of Asian participants in the Gay Games in its 41-year history.” Long threatened by the Chinese authorities, the Gay Games have therefore finally been given the green light by the government of the former British colony, but subject to compliance with laws and regulations in a “safe and orderly manner.” The Taiwanese delegation, at one time scheduled for Hong Kong, was finally forced to change its plans and opt for participation in the Gay Games in Guadalajara. “The safety of our athletes could not be guaranteed in Hong Kong,” explained a representative of the Taiwanese Gay Sports and Movement Association.
