A Reborn Woman: Joanne Leung
With the admirable efforts made by those who have been fighting for the rights of the sexual minority, our society has gradually opened more spaces for discussion about the acceptance of sexual diversity. Before that, however, there are people who concealed their “difference” from the others for their whole lives and also who were stuck in confusion and social pressure which finally led to their suicide.
These were all she had gone through, but luckily she found the way out.
Joanne Leung is a famous transgender (male-to-female) and homosexual activist in Hong Kong. Being born with a male body, Joanne had experienced strong confusion over gender identity. Not only did the era in which she was raised was morally conventional, but she also studied in Catholic schools starting from kindergarten. Growing up under such environment, Joanne had long considered herself sinful. After experiencing years of sufferings and treatments, she eventually underwent the sex reassignment surgery in 2009 at the age of forty-five. Afterwards, she is officially a woman. But that is not the end of her story. With a new identity, Joanne decided to stand out against the social injustice imposed on the sexual minority by the society.
To recall her memory, Joanne found herself “different” when she was six. She had a strong desire to possess female body and dress up like girls. She hated her sex organ to the extent that she hoped there would be an accident to take it away. Her wish did not come true. As a relatively timid person, she did not dare reveal her “difference”. Instead, she chose to hide the true self and perform as a “normal” man in front of others. Though deep down in her mind she regarded herself as woman, she is still attracted by other women. She, as a man, had four relationships while only one of them knows her “difference”. Yet, it is hard for the “girly” her to satisfy her girlfriends. All these relationships just ended up with broke-up. The losing of loves and, simultaneously, career failure together with pain from self-oppression turned out to become motives for re-examining her life and facing her true self.
Changing was hard, especially because Joanne is a Christian. Despite the fact that faith is always the significant pillar of her life, she admitted that there were certain moments it was turned to become the source of her stress. Feeling sinful due to her abnormality, she prayed and sought help from churches which only made her further assure that she is problematic. Curiously, it is also faith which supports her to survive. After making up her mind, she chose another church that is more tolerant of sexual minority and started to interpret the Bible in different way. She finds some people selectively quote from the Bible and uses it as weapon to demonize sexual minority. Therefore she stood out to debate with Choi Chi-sum, the General Secretary of The Society for Trust and Light in order to promote that faith is tolerant of difference. She eventually understands that she is not sinful as God has never convicted her. She even believes that such “abnormal” fate is the grace of God, to prove His power.
On 2008, when Joanne was still preparing mentally and physically for the surgery, she founded the Transgender Recourse Center. The organization began to operate after her recovery and she has taken up the position as president since then. After that, she actively fights for rights and justice for sexual minority. She gave speeches in various educational institutions like universities and secondary schools, and even visited United Nations twice. Through sharing the road she passed by, Joanne wishes to rise up public awareness of sexual diversity. On the other hand, as an experienced victim, she tries to provide assistance to people who are suffering as she had been. She organized talks for them and keeps calling for improvement of their lives in term of human right.
Joanne also believes that it is essential to modify the current laws in order that the sexual minority can gain the welfare they deserve. She pays much attention to the legal regulation that one are first required to receive series of diagnosis and recommendation from doctors for the approval of undergoing sex reassignment surgery, and then to finish the whole set of risky surgeries in order to change their gender. As many people are not suitable to do the surgery due to psychological or physiological problems, Joanne considers this regulation is not fair enough and urges for the modification in Legislative Council. She, as a lesbian, is also purposing the legalization of homosexual relationships like civil union so that the rights and welfares of homosexual couples can be ensured.
Knowing that one cannot rely only on personal power, Joanne decides to join the Democratic Party in 2015, hoping to change the society with the force and resource of this traditional political party. For her, we should not plan when is the time to enter the paradise, but to make a paradise visible when we are still alive.
Written by Cheng Sau Yin