What’s Up, Asia?
What’s Up, Asia?
Queer Asian Youths commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia with Asian LGBT Activists and creates Anti-Homophobic Photo-journal
“What’s Up, Asia?” presenters Hanae, Steven Shi, Duncan Lau and moderator Brian Chang speaks to over 40 LGBTQ Asian youths and allies to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Trasnsphobia. PHOTO: ACAS
Over 40 LGBTQ youths of Asian heritage and allies gathered at Glad Day Bookshop on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The event, “What’s Up, Asia?”, featured guest speakers, performances, discussions and the creation of an anti-homophobia photo-journal by youths. The event brought queer youths of East and Southeast Asia to re-visit and re-examine the idea of LGBTQ, which is often considered as a North American concept, from the perspectives of Asia and to come up with ways to combat homophobia and transphobia. Three LGBTQ community activists from China and Japan, Duncan Lau, Steven Shi, and Hanae, were invited to share their activist involvement and overseas experience with the LGBTQ communities in Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Taipei, and Tokyo with the participants.
In addition to creating a safe space for youth participants to hold the much needed conversation of LGBTQ activism spanning from Asia to Toronto, these queer youths of Asian heritage were also inspired by the various LGBTQ movements led by their youth-and-student counterparts in Asia. With the goal to ensure future LGBTQs can live in a more tolerant and equal society, these youths passionately expressed their needs to be recognized, supported, and empowered and came up with many wonderful positive photo-journal messages on how they can create positive changes in the community.
“What’s Up, Asia?” was organized by Queer Asian Youth (QAY), which is one of the programs run by Asian Community AIDS Services. QAY provides social spaces, workshops, volunteer and leadership opportunities for LGBTQ, curious, undecided, or questioning East and Southeast Asian youths and their friends. The program was established in 2000, and has since attracted about 200 LGBTQ youths from diverse East and Southeast Asian backgrounds to participate in its activities each year.
PRESS RELEASE
Comments (0)