‘A billion dollars for the man who marries my lesbian daughter’: Gigi Chao upset as father doubles ‘dowry’
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 23 January, 2014, 11:08am
UPDATED : Thursday, 23 January, 2014, 9:33pm
Joanna Chiu
[email protected]
Gigi Chao (Left) and her father Cecil Chao Sze-tsung attend 2013 Hong Kong Professional Elite Ladies Selection in Causeway Bay in August 2013. Photo: SCMP
The lesbian daughter of Hong Kong property tycoon Cecil Chao Sze-tsung has spoken of her anguish at the news that her father has doubled a marriage “dowry” to HK$1 billion to any man who could marry her.
In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post last night, Gigi Chao revealed that her partner of nine years, Sean Eav, was “distraught” after the tycoon’s latest interview with the Malaysian newspaper Nanyang Siang Pau in which he lamented that although his initial offer of HK$500 million in 2012 attracted more than 20,000 suitors, none succeeded in winning Gigi’s heart.
“I don’t want to interfere with my daughter’s private life,” Cecil said in the January 20 interview. “I only hope for her to have a good marriage and children as well as inherit my business.”
Sean Eav and Gigi Chao. Photo: Corbis
He also insisted that his daughter was still single and said he believes it is not too late to change Gigi’s thinking because she is only 33.
Gigi said of her father’s latest offer: “First of all, I’m concerned about his use of the word ‘dowry’ in a Southeast Asian country, as it is well known that dowry deaths are a human rights concern in India, and I don’t want people to step backward in hearing this news.
“Secondly, I don’t think my dad’s offering of any amount of money would be able to attract a man I would find attractive.
"Alternatively, I would be happy to befriend any man willing to donate huge amounts of money to my charity Faith in Love, provided they don’t mind that I already have a wife.
“Third and lastly, thank you Daddy, I love you too,” she said.
Gigi’s sharp remarks are a departure from her initial reaction two years ago when Cecil Chao made headlines around the world with his incredible plan to marry off his daughter. The story even spawned talk of a film to be produced by British comic actor and filmmaker Sacha Baron Cohen.
In an interview in September 2012, she said her father’s offer had made her realise she “was a really lucky girl to have such a loving daddy, because it’s really sweet of him to do something like this as an expression of his fatherly love”.
On Wednesday however, she told the Post she has repeatedly asked her father to stop talking to the press about the bounty, but “well what can I say, we live separate private lives after all.”
Gigi is an executive director at her father’s Cheuk Nang property development company, and spends much of her time doing charitable work as the founder and chairwoman of Faith in Love Foundation, which works to encourage volunteerism and to alleviate poverty.
Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen planned a movie about Gigi's plight. Photo: AFP
Since her father “threw her out of the closet” with his original bounty offer, Gigi has also become an outspoken advocate for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights. She is a founding member of the gay rights group Big Love Alliance, along with lawmakers and celebrities including artists Anthony Wong and Denise Ho. The alliance works to reduce discrimination against sexual minorities through public education and support networks for sexual minorities.
In an interview with the Post last year, Gigi said she had to get over the shock of the sudden publicity, but “realised it was an opportunity to set a good example…Hong Kong is horrible at accepting and welcoming diversity.”
But Gigi says her father’s persistence in trying to get her to marry a man hasn’t hurt their relationship.
“I understand that he loves me, it’s just he’s from another time and it’s difficult for him to understand the plight of the LGBT. At the office it’s business as usual. At family gatherings we hug and dance. And we just agree to disagree on what marriage is and family is,” she said.
Watch: Gigi Chao: 'Love shall prevail.'
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