Student-led ‘gender studies club’ gives teens in Hong Kong’s North district a safe space to discuss sex, LGBTQ issues

“Whenever they see homosexual couples or feminine men, they often express disgust and refer to them as ‘abnormal’,” said the 13-year-old, adding that he avoided discussing this topic with his family to maintain peace.

“To me, love is love, and one’s sexuality should not define or limit the love they have.”

To learn more about this topic, he joined the North District Secondary School Gender Studies Club last year.

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The student-led group fosters discussions and shares resources about sex, gender equality, and LGBTQ issues on social media. With about 1,500 followers on Instagram, the group covers topics absent in the school curriculum, from debunking misconceptions about feminism to supporting survivors of sexual assault.

Of the 12 students from North district who are running the account, Sunset is the only male member. “Men might have emotional burdens that hinder them from expressing themselves. But I believe that we can proactively learn about these issues. Sexuality education should be and must be popularised,” Sunset emphasised.

“Without proper education, students may resort to inappropriate channels to learn about them and may not learn to respect those who identify as homosexual.”

The teen shared how the group had helped him become more accepting: “Before joining the club, I didn’t completely understand the rainbow flag, LGBTQ and all that. Now, I’ve become more open-minded, and I feel more at ease to bring up these topics with friends.”

Yuen*, whose pen name is Whale Fall, formed the club a year ago at the beginning of Pride Month, which is a celebration of the LGBTQ community and their advocacy for equal rights, held annually in June.

The student had noticed that many of her peers were struggling with issues related to sex or discrimination because of their sexual orientation. This inspired her to create a club that would not only spark discussions on gender issues but also serve as a community to connect with teens who may feel lost about their gender identity.

Last year, when she was a Form Six student, Yuen posted an Instagram story seeking out the LGBTQ community at her school. To her surprise, over 50 people responded saying they identified as being homosexual.

“I started reaching out to them individually, and many responded by sharing that not many people knew about their experiences or they were hesitant to discuss them openly. So I invited them to join my club,” said the Year One student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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The founder stressed that the club’s goal was to raise awareness about sexual and gender minorities and promote inclusivity and empathy among teens. But she also recognised that for most students, coming out as part of the LGBTQ community could be dangerous.

Even forming a gender studies club on a secondary school campus proved challenging. The group’s initial title included the school’s name, but their teachers and principal advised them to operate the club as a voluntary group, since an official club would require coordination with parents and the school board.

Though the group could not be an official school club and host events on campus, changing its name motivated the members to broaden their reach.

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“We understand gender is a sensitive topic,” Yuen shared. “While teachers understood why we started this club and our school supported us, we decided to rename it and broaden its reach to include students from secondary schools in North district.”

As part of its one-year anniversary celebration, the club has been actively recruiting new members throughout this month, and 10 students have already joined.

They also plan to collaborate with other like-minded platforms and invite members to participate in events.

According to a study published last year by the Equal Opportunities Commission, Hong Kong secondary schools are not dedicating enough resources and time to providing comprehensive sex education to students.

Sex education is one of 10 topics listed in the Education Bureau’s Values Education Curriculum Framework. But there are no guidelines on how much time should be allocated to this topic.

Jacinta Yu, development officer for the Hong Kong Federation of Women’s Centres (HKFWC), stressed that the city’s youth needed more guidance in navigating issues of gender and sexuality.

“Schools mostly cover sexual organs or heterosexual issues in their sexuality education,” said Yu, who leads workshops about gender for users of HKFWC’s services. “However, this approach tends to ignore most aspects of gender identities and sexual orientation.”

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She added that comprehensive sex education could also challenge problematic stereotypes: “Online, we often see misogynistic comments directed towards women.”

Yuen agreed, saying that discrimination put LGBTQ people in danger: “When it affects life so much and no one’s prioritising education on this, it is very pathetic.”

Core member of the group Snow* noted that sex education was important for her because of her parents’ traditional mindset.

“They expect me to find a rich man to marry and have children with,” the 15-year-old shared.

Tsui-hei*, another core member, told her parents that she was a lesbian, but they dismissed her: “They thought I was too young to understand it. They didn’t believe me and thought I was just messing around, assuming that I would get married eventually.”

The 17-year-old also noted the prevalence of stereotypes in society: “Many people hold the idea that lesbians [all] have short hair or ... cannot bear children, and that women are supposed to have children.”

But in the club, Tsui-hei and Snow feel less alone.

Tsui-hei shared: “It made me realise that if so many people can be open about their identity, I shouldn’t be shy about speaking up and taking action.”

Yuen feels optimistic that Hong Kong teens will become more inclusive: “Over the last few decades, significant progress has been made in normalising [being] LGBTQ. Many people have paved the way for us.”

Snow added: “As secondary school students, we are taking a step forward by forming this club ... This is evidence that Hong Kong is improving.”

*Names withheld at interviewee’s request.