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    #Hashtag Hong Kong

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    Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15

    Focussing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.

    (Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)



    最新

    LATEST
    26/03/2023
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    Zephyrus Tsang, co-founder and vice-chairperson of Quarks

    My name is Zephyrus. My pronouns are he/him. I’m a doctor, an activist, and a transgender guy. I’m the co-founder and vice-chairperson of Quarks, Q-U-A-R-K-S. We’re the first and by far the only organization in Hong Kong for transgender youth.

     

    This coming Friday, 31st March, is the International Transgender Day of Visibility.

    Why is visibility so important for the transgender community, that we have to make a day about it?

     

    Simply because our society still has a lot to learn about gender diversity.

    Most people told me I’m the first transgender person they met. Some of them also said it’s difficult to remember what trans men and trans women mean. They simply don’t know when I introduce myself as a trans man, it means male or female.

    Then again, a lot of people don’t really know what transgender means. Or more specifically, there’re lots of misconceptions.

     

    The recent victory of Q’s & Henry Edward Tse’s judicial review on gender recognition has in fact told us a great deal about how we can understand transgender people. In early February, the Court of Final Appeal ruled that the existing policy, that the HKID gender marker can only be updated, with the surgeries of sex organ removal and construction, is a violation of the constitution, and a violation of human rights. The HKID gender marker should not be a marker of sex organs. Let’s discuss more from there.

     

    First, gender identity is not equal to sex organs. These are separate things, independent of each other, just having no correlation at all. Being transgender is not about surgeries. In fact, there’s nothing one has to do before one becomes transgender or cisgender. It’s about our gender identity that has developed since we’re 2-4 years old, and how one is living their life.

     

     The requirement that a trans person has to undergo gender-affirming surgeries of their sex organs, in order to update their HKID gender marker, is a denial of the existence of transgender people. It is unreasonable that, in order for one’s gender identity to be recognized, their sex organs would have to resemble that of cisgender people. But gender identity is independent of sex organs, to begin with. Transgender people are often asked “Have you done those surgeries yet?”, or more directly, “What kind of sex organs do you have down there?” Now, with the victory of the judicial review, transgender people in Hong Kong are finally not objectified to our sex organs.

     

     We still have to wait for the new policy on the update of the HKID gender marker. But if sex organ surgeries are no longer required to update one’s HKID gender marker, it’s very likely that in the future, whenever we see a M on a HKID, we shouldn’t assume the person must be cisgender or must be having a phallic organ. Instead, M would be possessed by both cisgender men, and transgender men. They have different bodies, but they all identify as male. It is more important to know a person’s social role and appearance, and their qualities and experience for employment for example, than to dig into what kind of sex organs they may have, or how their sex organs look like.

     

     I’d say this is how we can see gender. When we look at gender from the perspective of gender identity, men would mean all those who have a male gender identity, including both cisgender men and transgender men. Similarly, the female would be a diverse group of women, who all share a female gender identity. While they may have different bodies, different upbringings, and different life stories, for both cisgender women and transgender women.

     

     There’re of course non-binary people too. Their gender identity is one of the many identities, other than male and female, out of the gender binary. What kind of sex organs they have is not something we need to think about. I’d also add that the legal recognition of non-binary gender, or indication of X gender marker, or not having a gender marker at all on HKID, is, however, not widely discussed in Hong Kong.

     

    Thirdly, healthcare decisions shouldn’t be affected by legal consequences. Gender-affirming healthcare has been established for more than 40 years in Hong Kong. One can now visit the public or private sector to discuss their gender identity, and social role with a professional, and for mental health support, gender-affirming voice training, gender-affirming hormones, gender-affirming surgeries, etc. It’s important to know that these healthcare services are not a must for every transgender person. Some may only wish for hormones. There’s no completion or incompletion at all. Just like every healthcare decision, it should be made according to one’s needs, whether one wishes to experience those changes in their body and appearance. In particular, surgeries shouldn’t be used just to acquire legal status.

     

    If this is the first time you came across this information, it’s alright. This is not an personal issue, but more about the lack of comprehensive sex education across different educational levels. Progress has been made bit by bit in recent years. And I’m certain that with the victory of the judicial review, the way our Hong Kong society understands gender would change significantly.

     

    As Dr Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. This judicial review is a victory for the basic human rights of the local transgender community, for the LGBTQIA+ community, and a landmark of human rights in Hong Kong.

    26/03/2023 - 足本 Full (HKT 08:15 - 08:30)

    26/03/2023 - Zephyrus Tsang, co-founder and vice-chairperson of Quarks

    重溫

    CATCHUP
    01 - 03
    2023
    香港電台第三台

    26/03/2023

     Zephyrus Tsang, co-founder and vice-chairperson of Quarks

    19/03/2023

    Erica Lee, the Director of The Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association

    12/03/2023

    Tiffany Leung, Registered Social Worker, Smoking Cessation Program in Workplace of The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon

    05/03/2023

    Professor Jonathan Wong, Director, Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre Certification, Hong Kong Baptist University

    26/02/2023

    David Cheung, CEO of Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services and  Ice, one of the seeing eye dogs in their centre

    19/02/2023

    Andy Ho, Executive Director  The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

    12/02/2023

    05/02/2023

    Jolian Chui, Assistant Director of Programme, International Social Service Hong Kong Branch

    29/01/2023

    Jacky Ng, Chairman of Internet Society Hong Kong

    22/01/2023

    Chris Tse, the Chairman, Institute of Financial Planners of Hong Kong
    X

    Dr Polly Cheung, Founder, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation

    October is the month dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness around the world. Pink ribbons, banners and posters pop up in many shops and corners in the city. The Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation holds its annual Pink Walk and Pink Together event, to raise awareness of breast cancer among the public and encourage people to adopt a healthier life style, including doing more exercise, eat healthily, avoid smoking and alcohol, and learn to relieve stress.
    Breast cancer awareness has two parts. One, is to note any change in the breasts, such as lumps, skin changes, sudden enlargement or asymmetry. Second, is to undergo regular mammography screening.
    Breast cancer is an important health hazard to Hong Kong women. It has persistently been the most common cancer affecting Hong Kong women for 28 years since 1994. According to the latest figures from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry in 2019, 1 in 14 women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Every day, 13 people are newly diagnosed and 2 die of breast cancer.  
    Early detection saves lives. Breast cancer screening can detect early breast cancers which may not be palpable, and thereby reduce mortality. Mammography screening is available in at least 34 countries in the world, including UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, many European and South American countries. In Asia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan have government-funded breast cancer screenings. In mainland China, dual cancer screening for women, namely cervical and breast cancer, is advocated and supported by the Government, especially in the rural areas. 
    Successful breast cancer screening can detect 5-10 cases of breast cancer for every 1,000 persons. The Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation has provided breast cancer screening services to 85,000 women since 2011 at their Breast Health Centers. Out of 1,000 asymptomatic women, 7 were found to have breast cancer, the detection rate is similar to international figures. 
    In Taiwan, results from their breast screening program are very encouraging. For the 1.5 million women who received regular mammography screening in the past two decades, breast cancer staging II and above was reduced by 30%, and the death rate was reduced by 40%.
    In the past years, the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation has submitted policy address proposal to the Chief Executive, advocating a three-phase approach to breast cancer screening: first, to implement regular screening for high-risk women; second, to provide free screening for low-income women; and thirdly, based on data from the first and second phase, to work towards universal breast cancer screening.
    Today, Hong Kong has taken an important step in breast screening. The Department of Health has launched a Breast Cancer Screening Pilot Scheme in September 2021, offering two yearly mammography screening to average risk women. The program adopts a risk-based approach. Women between the ages of 44 and 69, are considered high risk if they have any of the following risk factors, namely a first degree relative having breast cancer, obesity, lack of physical activity, first menstrual period at the age 11 or earlier, never had a baby, had their first child after age 30, or had a history of benign breast disease. They can also use the breast cancer risk assessment tool developed by the University of Hong Kong to calculate their own individualized breast cancer risk. If they are in the 25% highest risk category, they will be eligible for government subsidized breast screening, with access to government-funded mammography examinations at the three Women's Health Centres, run by the Department of Health.
    In Hong Kong, more than 1.5 million women are aged between 44 and 69. According to statistics from the Department of Health, more than half of the adults do not exercise enough. Considering physical inactivity alone as a risk factor for breast cancer, at least 750,000 women will be eligible for risk based screening. Adding other risk factors to reach the highest 25% risk category, at least 187,500 women should be offered two yearly breast screening. The Government needs to encourage participation of NGOs and private medical institutions through public-private partnership, to provide adequate screening services to the public.
    In this October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I urge you to turn knowledge into action, examine your breast health and start regular breast screening. And, support our Pink Together 2022 campaign. This year, we encourage women to do more exercise and to donate for the worthy cause of mitigating the breast cancer threat in Hong Kong.

    香港電台第三台

    02/10/2022 - 足本 Full (HKT 08:15 - 08:30)

    02/10/2022 - Dr Polly Cheung, Founder, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation

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