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Two large companies in Hong Kong have banned featuring an airline鈥檚 advertisement which showed two men holding hands, prompting one of its models to speak out.
Howard Chan Ho-Wan was one of the models who appeared in the same-sex ad of Cathay Pacific, as per South China Morning Post on May 22. The 38-year-old Chan has decided to speak out after the ad was rejected by the Hong Kong International Airport and the railway operator.
In the commercial, Chan and another model can be seen holding hands while walking in a beach, fully dressed. The ad was part of the airline鈥檚 rebranding campaign to highlight the company鈥檚 support of the LGBT community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very subtle. We鈥檙e not naked, we鈥檙e not kissing each other or making out,鈥� Chan was quoted as saying. 鈥淲e鈥檙e holding hands, wearing suits on a very beautiful beach. And our faces are not shown. [The two companies鈥� reaction] quite surprised me.鈥�
Contrary to the companies鈥� ban of the ad, however, the public鈥檚 response toward it was positive. As per Chan, many people reacted after news broke out that the ad had been prohibited; they also offered their support. Due to the public鈥檚 glimmering response, the Mass Train Railway and the Hong Kong airport backtracked and lifted the ban.
Chan has said it is rare to have ads with positive LGBT elements in Hong Kong: 鈥淚t is really rare, of that I know. Hong Kong may be too conservative.鈥�
However, he still feels proud for being a part of the airline鈥檚 campaign for diversity and is happy the airport and railway operator changed their policy. It is, after all, proof that times are changing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an important step. You can see the public response hasn鈥檛 been negative,鈥� Chan said in the report. 鈥淲e can do more step by step.鈥� Cody Cepeda/JB
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