Gay bars have opened and LGBT events are growing in popularity, but is it yet acceptable to be gay in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is known for its liberal laws regarding finance and business. But how free are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to express themselves?

Hong Kong's generous tax laws and deregulated business environment make it an easy place to express yourself financially. But what if you're part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender community? There are a smattering of gay bars and clubs dotted around the city. But is it OK to be gay here?

We spoke to some people directly involved in the LGBT scene here to find out what they thought. Taking part were:

• Betty Grisoni and Abby Lee, the founders of Les Peches, which organizes parties and events for lesbian and bisexual women;
• Eric Herrera, chief dreamer of Fruits in Suits (FinS), a gay networking group;
• Connie Chan of Women Coalition of HKSAR (WCHK), an LGBT advocacy group;
• and Nigel Collett, Hong Kong correspondent for Fridae.com, the gay media company.

The freedom to love: acceptance of Hong Kong’s LGBT past to present

Les Peches Hong Kong
Les Peches The Lounge, an event held on the first Tuesday of every month.
Recognition of the issues faced by gays in Asia is definitely increasing, say Betty Grisoni and Abby Lee. They say that more groups, either socially or politically based, have popped up in recent years. Les Peches started as a social gathering community, but as more people inquired about LGBT issues, Grisoni and Lee started supporting political LGBT events as well.

Read the full article on cnngo.com.