It includes visits to iconic spots where Hong Kong’s pre-eminent LGBT movies – such as Happy Together and All About Love – were shot, as well as to hidden back-alley hangout spaces. The tour is an entertaining exploration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender culture and history in Hong Kong, and consists of meandering through historical landmarks in Central and Sheung Wan. This inspired me to curate the first LGBTQ+ tour in Asia in 2016. I am well aware that Hong Kong isn’t exactly renowned for championing LGBTQ+ rights, and while our legislation has become slightly more progressive on such issues than those of some of our Asian neighbours, our community’s culture has historically been swept under the rug. T:ME Bar is one of many hidden LGBTQ+ spots in the city. It is also a colloquial term for homosexuality, or those who share the same “sexual” mission. The word comrade in Chinese ( 同志 or Tongzhi) can mean a companion, an associate, or a friend who shares the same passion or mission. In addition to being a place for revolutionary talk, the network of alleys and sites that used to make up the area also served as place to meet comrades. The opening of the park in 2011, the revolution’s centenary year, commemorates this place as a breeding ground for revolution. These routes served as quick getaways for the revolutionists, in times when they had to flee from either Qing agents or the Hong Kong police. It can be approached by a number of narrow lanes, such as Sam Ka Lane ( 三家里 ), and Pak Tsz Lane ( 百子里 ). Sun Yat Sen and his comrades planned the 1911 Chinese Revolution, a nationalist democratic rebellion that overthrew the Manchus during the Qing Dynasty in 1912. Pak Tsz ( 百子 ) literally means ‘Hundred Alleys’ in Chinese, and Pak Tsz Lane Park is where Dr. In my experience, four out of five Hong Kongers don’t know this hidden gem exists, and that it relates closely to Chinese history. Probably my favourite spot in Hong Kong’s Central district, right off Hollywood Road and next to Club 71 in Pak Tsz Lane Park, the bar is a hidden sanctuary that makes for a particularly enlightening pit stop.
Concealed within it is a secret spot that is unknown to both locals and foreigners: a gay bar called “T:ME Bar.” Friends from overseas try to visit, but they can never locate it. The alley is dark and a bit creepy, and it doesn’t look like it leads to anywhere.