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We don’t need to tell you about the power of words. Words win elections; they end wars; they make law; they save lives – and, of course, they do the opposite. But what if two groups of people, who live side by side and are united by a common cause, cannot understand each other’s language? It’s a question that Nigel Collett and Reggie Ho address with their bilingual literary salon, the Tongzhi Literature Group (TLG).

Each time the TLG meet – usually for a boozy, relaxed evening of readings and conversation – Collett invites three English or Chinese authors to lead discussions on issues that their books raise. Ho’s role is to translate their words simultaneously. "The essence of what the literary group could do,” he says, “is to bridge the divide between the [Chinese and English speaking] worlds, and to facilitate the exchange of ideas.”

Ho, an editor and columnist, explains that as on many other fronts in the city, there is a divide within the gay community between English and Chinese speakers. “What happens then,” he explains, “is that ideas from both sides don’t get translated properly.” Ho cites the landmark 1980 case, in which Police Inspector John MacLennan allegedly committed suicide following accusations that he had engaged in homosexual behaviour, as an example of a historical event that was covered almost exclusively by the English media. As a result, there are many young Chinese gay rights activists who remain unaware of the case that finally prompted the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1991. Thanks to a visit from RTHK veteran Aileen Bridgewater, the TLG was able to spread knowledge of this important moment in human rights history.

This fortnight, the TLG welcomes another much-loved radio figure, Brian Leung. Recognised as the ‘voice of gay Hong Kong’, Leung is the kind, chatty host of RTHK Radio 2’s weekly We are Family. His book, Straightly Gay, is a collection of articles that Leung has prepared for his talk show over its three years of broadcast.

“It’s my take on what’s been going on in the gay and lesbian community worldwide for the last three years,” says Leung, “I’d like to shed light on the equality movement as a whole, to ask whether we are taking big steps or going backwards.” The conclusion, as ever, is complicated. “We are moving forward,” he allows, “but as we gain momentum and publicity, our opposition has been able to raise their voices against us.”

When his radio show began, for example, Leung was forced, through angry letters from the city’s political and religious right (“It was the same old complaint – that we were promoting homosexuality, which is ridiculous. How can you promote homosexuality?”), to add a pre-broadcast warning as to the nature of the programme. It's something Leung does not find shocking. But, he says, “I do find it very sad. At the same time, it’s laughable.”To be able to find humour in ignorance is a powerful thing, and one that Leung hopes he can spread to the scared and the insecure on both sides of the fight. “When you have a public platform [like I do], you can reach out to anybody. I have to strike a dialogue between the gay and straight worlds. If I can demystify this fear about gay culture in tiny baby steps, that would be wonderful.” We are lucky indeed that this man’s words won’t be lost in translation.

 

Culture Club, 15 Elgin St, Soho.

 

Samantha Leese