Attack On CE Was Sex Discrimination: Rights Group

A pro-Beijing women's rights group has filed a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) over a Legco outburst by Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai against Chief Executive Carrie Lam earlier this month.

Wu used a derogatory Cantonese term for women that roughly translates into “b***h” in English during a fit of rage over Lam's comments on planned new extradition laws.

The EOC had already said that while Wu's comment was rude and inappropriate, it wasn't a breach of the Sex Discrimination Ordinance.

But the All-China Women’s Federation disagrees.

The group's Maggie Chan told RTHK’s Priscilla Ng on Monday that the insulting language was a gender-based attack.

“Wu, his words and his action in the Legco chamber, was a discrimination against a woman, simply based on sex… because she’s a lady and because of the difference between men and women,” said Chan.

She said Wu’s comments were not just an impolite remark, but had violated the sex discrimination ordinance and the family status discrimination ordinance.