Karen Liao is one of the few participants from China at the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010.
She is living in Peking. Thanks to the Outreach Program of the Gay Games VIII she could participate at the 5000 m run. José Ospina-Valencia interviewed her while she was cheering on her friend at the softball final.
KL
„My name is Karen Liao and I am a participant in the Gay Games. I did the 5000 m road race yesterday with my personal best time. I have always been a weak runner but I think Gay Games is for fun and it´s about being a part of it. So I feel happy and thank you.”
JO
“How did you hear about the Gay Games?”
KL
“Because of my girlfriend, she is Taiwanese and playing softball, and she is here with her team. And they are in the final right now. I am watching her playing against an international team with members from different countries and continents. She was going to the Gay Games and told me about it. In the beginning I didn´t want to come because as a student I don´t have a lot of money. So she told me that I could apply for the scholarship and I did and won the scholarship.”
JO
“Congratulations. What kind of scholarship did you receive?”
KL
“I got the scholarship to get the travel expenses paid, they (the Outreach program) bought the ticket for me so that I can be here in Cologne.”
JO
“Did you have any problems in China to come to the Gay Games, did they know why you are coming to Cologne?”
KL
“Personally I don´t have a problem as I came out to my parents and I am out at the campus. Most of my friends know that I am a lesbian. But I believe that the majority of the LGBT community in China has very little resources. Very little information is coming to China and only a few people know about the Gay Games. This is the first reason why so few Chinese participants attend the Gay Games. The second is that most of them have an economic problem, they don´t have enough money to buy the tickets for international travel. And I think, as coming out in China is still not easy, especially to your parents, as in China family values a lot. You have to marry and have kids so it´s hard to come out in China. To be out in sport competitions is even harder. Usually you risk your career in professional sport when you tell your team members that you are gay or lesbian. So it is a very good idea to have a sport event dedicated to gay people.”
JO
“Now you are here in Cologne for a week and you were running the 5000 m yesterday. Today you are watching your girlfriend play with her Taiwan team against an international team. What is your experience so far?”
KL
“I´ve been very happy in Cologne because the people here are very friendly and I think I can be very proud and very out. In China we cannot be so proud and so out. We are still afraid of people finding out, especially colleagues or parents or family members. But here it is a very gay city; you can see the rainbow flag all over the city which makes me very happy. Here at the Gay Games I see more gay people than straight people so I feel like the majority and not the minority. This is a very good feeling.”
“What is the message that you, Karen Liao take back home to your country and your people?”
KL
“Number one: Be healthy!”
“Number two: Be proud of yourself!”
“And number three: Be out to the world!”
