Report on Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Report on Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Report on Study Legislation against Discrimination the Grounds Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status Commissioned by the Equal Opportunities Commission and Conducted by Gender Research Centre of Gender Identity and Intersex Status Gender the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Gender Research Centre, CUHK 地址 : 香港太古城太古灣道 14 號太古城中心三座 19 樓 Address : 19/F, Cityplaza Three, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong 電話 Tel : 2511 8211 傳真 Fax : 2511 8142 網址 Website : www.eoc.org.hk 電郵 Email : [email protected] 電話短訊查詢服務 SMS Enquiry Service: 6972566616538 ( 供聽障 / 有語言障礙人士使用 For people with hearing impairment/ speech difficulties) YouTube channel 頻道 : www.youtube.com/user/hkeoc Facebook pages 專頁 : www.facebook.com/careerchallenge www.facebook.com/HKUniquelyMe January 2016 Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status Report This project is commissioned by Equal Opportunities Commission to Gender Research Centre, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong 2016 Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 18 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................ 18 1.2 Objectives ................................................................................................................................ 18 1.3 Structure of the report ........................................................................................................... 20 1.4 Definitions of key terms and concepts .................................................................................. 21 1.4.1 Key terms and acronyms ................................................................................................................. 21 1.4.2 Discrimination concepts .................................................................................................................. 23 1.5 Overview of Hong Kong’s legal instruments and obligations ............................................. 24 1.5.1 International human rights instruments ........................................................................................... 24 1.5.2 The Basic Law and Bill of Rights Ordinance .................................................................................. 26 1.5.3 Anti-discrimination legislation ........................................................................................................ 27 1.6 Social and legal situation of LGBTI people in Hong Kong ................................................. 28 1.6.1 Criminalization and decriminalization of homosexuality ................................................................ 28 1.6.2 Developments relating to anti-discrimination legislation and policy .............................................. 30 1.6.3 Same-sex relationships .................................................................................................................... 33 1.6.4 Transgender and transsexual people in Hong Kong ........................................................................ 33 1.6.5 Transgender people’s rights of marriage ......................................................................................... 36 1.6.6 Intersex people in Hong Kong ......................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 2 Literature Review ................................................................................................... 38 2.1 Previous studies on discrimination experienced by LGBT people in Hong Kong ............ 38 2.1.1 Employment .................................................................................................................................... 38 2.1.2 Education ......................................................................................................................................... 41 2.1.3 Other public domains ....................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.4 Other areas ....................................................................................................................................... 43 2.1.5 LGBT people’s views on legislation against discrimination on the ground of SOGI ...................... 43 2.2 Public attitudes towards legislation against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status ........................................................................... 44 2.2.1 Public attitudes towards discrimination experienced by LGBT people in general .......................... 44 2.2.2 Public attitudes towards discrimination experienced by LGBT people in different domains .......... 45 2.2.3 Public attitudes towards legislation against discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation..... 47 2.2.4 Other areas of concern ..................................................................................................................... 48 2.3 Limitations of previous studies .............................................................................................. 50 2.4 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 51 Chapter 3 Research Methods .................................................................................................. 52 3.1 Soliciting views from LGBTI people ..................................................................................... 53 3.1.1 Focus groups and qualitative interviews with LGBTI people ......................................................... 53 3.1.2 Online reporting of discrimination cases ......................................................................................... 54 3.2 Soliciting views from the general public ............................................................................... 54 3.2.1 Telephone survey ............................................................................................................................. 54 3.2.2 Focus groups with the public and groups with strong opinions ....................................................... 54 3.2.3 Public forums ................................................................................................................................... 55 3.2.4 Public opinions collected via online or postal channels .................................................................. 56 3.3 Interviews with legal experts ................................................................................................. 56 3.4 Research ethics ........................................................................................................................ 56 3.5 Advantages and limitations of different research methods ................................................ 57 1 Study on Legislation against Discrimination on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status Chapter 4 Discrimination self-reported by LGBTI people in Hong Kong and LGBTI views on legislation .................................................................................................................. 58 4.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 58 4.1.1 Survey administered in the focus groups ......................................................................................... 59 4.2 Experiences of discrimination self-reported by LGBTI people in different domains .... 60 4.2.1 Employment .................................................................................................................................. 60 4.2.2 Education ...................................................................................................................................... 69 4.2.3 Provision of goods and services .................................................................................................... 73 4.2.4 Disposal and management of premises .......................................................................................... 78 4.2.5 Other domains or areas of concern ................................................................................................ 79 4.3 Ways of redressing discrimination experienced by LGBTI people .................................. 84 4.4 LGBTI people’s views on legislation ................................................................................... 86 4.4.1 Areas of consensus .......................................................................................................................... 87 4.4.2 Areas of disagreement ..................................................................................................................... 87 4.4.3 Other suggestions ...........................................................................................................................