A homosexual dating programme in Hong Kong strives to break down LGBT+ obstacles
'Boyscation,' a new reality TV show from Hong Kong, will provide an unique depiction of the complications of being gay in Chinese society. A reality television series set to premiere in Hong Kong, part LGBT+ dating show, part documentary, will present a rare portrayal of the complications of being homosexual in Chinese society, according to its creator.
Vinci Wong, 51, will also host the Boyscation show, which will follow ten men in their 20s and 30s from various backgrounds who are "very proud of being gay," according to him.
Wong spoke to the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Hong Kong, a former British colony that was restored to Chinese authority in 1997. "I want to portray the mindset of these gay men and what society thinks of them," he said.
"What are the difficulties they are dealing with? How do they deal with their LGBT identity in their families, at work, among friends, and in Chinese society?"
In Hong Kong, homosexuality was decriminalised in 1991, and the age of consent was equalised in 2006, but LGBT+ rights remain contentious in the metropolis of more than seven million people, which is designated as a Chinese special administrative area.
Same-sex marriage and civil unions are still illegal, despite the fact that popular opinions about homosexuality in Hong Kong are generally more progressive than in mainland China.
Wong, who came out as homosexual in 2013 and married his partner in 2016, making him one of Hong Kong's few openly LGBT+ prominent leaders, said he hoped the performance will help shift traditional sexuality beliefs.
"I hope that after viewing it, they will realise that this is the reality, that these young homosexual men live in the same city as us, and that we should be more welcoming," he said of the series, which will air on Hong Kong's TVB network.
One of the ten participants, Louis Ng, said that participating in the programme had improved his connection with his father, whom he had come out to just before filming.
"Because of the show, I have a better relationship with my father," Ng, 26, added. "It's a fantastic method to get people thinking about how to coexist in society with minorities."
Boyscation, while promoted primarily as a dating show, also features homosexual Hong Kongers going about their regular lives, including working, playing sports, and spending time with their families, according to Ng.
"Straight people will think, "They're the same as us" after viewing the show. Dating, love, and relationships are all the same for gay and bisexual people. Love is love, and love is love."