A US-China summit, appearances by notable CEOs, discussions on a trade agreement, and charming dances performed by beautifully coiffed drag queens were all included in the APEC schedule in San Francisco.
Welcome to” Gaypec,” a side event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) forum that has been taking place in the city for decades at the forefront of LGBTQ acceptance.
Rafael Mandelman, who serves on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on behalf of the LGBTQ-friendly Castro area, said that this is the most important meeting of global leaders in the city in more than 50 years.
He said,” I got the impression that there had to be anything queer going on if such a big event was taking place in San Francisco.”
Mandelman expressed his hope that San Francisco had offer Gay visitors some level of comfort and allow them to “find a gay society for the time they’re around” despite the fact that sexuality is frowned upon in some APEC part states.
Mayor London Breed supported San Francisco’s invitation of APEC members to a” Gaypec” greeting on Wednesday night in the Castro, where there was much less formal mingling than at the conference location.
The team, which was held concurrently with President Joe Biden’s starting reception, had some foreign delegates present, but organizers claimed that the event was more about making a statement than welcoming any LGBTQ guests.
Evan Low, a Chinese-American and openly queer state Assembly member from California, said,” We know that LGBT rights are not enjoyed in many Asian places.”
He claimed that several members privately pulled me aside and said,” I wish I could attend this Gaypec event, but for me as an official diplomat, it would be terrible and devastating.”
In order to advance equality for all, we are here to collect and channel this energy into a motion.
Despite the sultan’s imposition of an endless ban in response to fierce international criticism, including protest calls of Brunei-owned luxury hotels worldwide, Muslim-majority Bruni, an APEC part, has the death penalty on the books for homosexuality.
Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, was detained on prostitution charges and is currently attending APEC. He refuted the accusations, claiming that democratic foes had made them up.
The second carry performer at Gaypec took the stage to electropop, her hands stretched in the air above her thick curls, and she wore a sparkling red gown in honor of her Eastern history.
The carry performer, Khmera Rouge, who was born in the United States to Vietnamese parents, expressed her desire to demonstrate to tourists the city’s inclusivity.
She remarked that San Francisco is one of those areas where anyone is welcome. Ok, anyone can be whoever they want.