Cecil chao sze tsung daughter

The lesbian daughter of a Hong Kong property tycoon has written her father an open letter asking him to stop offering millions of dollars to any man who would marry her.

Businessman Cecil Chao Sze-tsung hit the headlines in 2012 when he offered the HK$500 million ($65 million) reward after his daughter's same sex marriage.

Last week he reportedly upped the ante by insisting his daughter, 33-year-old socialite Gigi Chao, was still single and reportedly doubled the figure. But on Wednesday she responded with an open letter asking him to accept her for who she is.

"Dear Daddy, I thought the timing was right for us to have a candid conversation," began her letter, printed in two Hong Kong newspapers including the South China Morning Post.

"You know I’ve had male lovers in the past…But it was always short-lived, as I quickly lost patience, and felt an indescribable discomfort in their presence."

Chao married her long-term partner, Sean Eav, in a civil ceremony in France in 2012. Hong Kong decriminalized homosexuality in 1991 but gay marriage is not recognized.

"I know it’s difficult for you to understand how I could feel romantically attracted to a woman; I suppose I can’t really explain it either. It just happens, peacefully and gently, and after so many years, we still love each other very much."

According to The Associated Press, Cecil Chao Sze-tsung has a reputation for being a playboy with a love for Rolls-Royces. He once claimed to have had 10,000 girlfriends but has never married.

The story of his offer has reportedly grabbed the attention of Sacha Baron Cohen, the actor behind "Borat" and "Bruno," and he is working on a film inspired by the tycoon's proposal, the AP said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related:

Hong Kong billionaire

Cecil Chao Sze-Tsung (Chinese: 趙世曾; born September 27, 1936) is a Hong Kongbillionaire who is the owner of Cheuk Nang (Holdings) Ltd, a Hong Kong-based property development and investment company, known for its focus on residential and commercial real estate projects in the region.

The Chao family is a prominent shipping dynasty in Hong Kong, founded by Chao Tsong-yea in the mid-20th century. Chao is the last surviving of the four sons of Wuxi-born shipping tycoon Chao Tsong-yea and his wife Chao Nyi Ya-tsung. His elder brother Frank Chao Sze-bang died in 2001, and his younger brother George Chao Sze-kwong died in 2016.

He claims to have dated over 10,000 women. He has three children by three of them: Wai Yiu (mother of Gigi Chao), Ying Ying (mother of Howard), and Terri Holladay (mother of Roman).

In 2012, Chao gained international attention when he offered $65 million to any man who could convince his lesbian daughter, Gigi Chao, to marry him. Despite criticism, Chao remained unrepentant. In 2014, Chao increased the reward to $180 million. Gigi responded publicly in an open letter printed in the South China Morning Post. He has since rescinded the offer publicly.

References

Hong Kong prominent lesbian

Gigi Chao (Chinese: 趙式芝; born June 1979) is a Hong Kong business woman and activist, the vice-chair of Cheuk Nang (Holdings) Ltd.

Chao holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with Honours from the University of Manchester's Manchester School of Architecture.

Chao, a feminist and lesbian, is an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights in Hong Kong and Asia. She was the first female President of the Hong Kong Aviation Club. She was also an early investor in Tesla and supported the company's early development in Hong Kong with purchasing two of the first generation Tesla Roadsters in 2011.

In 2012, Chao gained international attention when her father, Cecil Chao, offered $65 million to any man who could marry her. Despite criticism, her father remained unrepentant. In 2014 Cecil Chao increased the reward to $180 million. Gigi responded publicly in an open letter printed in the South China Morning Post. The letter expresses defiance of her father's wishes and asks for respect for the LGBT community.

In 2019, Chao founded the organisation Hong Kong Marriage Equality to advocate for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong. Chao wrote an early thesis on Marriage Equality and published it for peer review in 2011-2012.

She is an Anglican.

References

External links

• Property magnate Cecil Chao offered a HKD$1bn 'dowry' for daughter
  
• Gigi Chao, 34, fended off 20,000 suitors after the initial offer in 2012
  
• She has now written a letter asking her father to accept that she is gay
  
• Gigi married her partner of nine years in France in 2012
  

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

A Hong Kong billionaire who promised £80million in 'dowry' to the man who could win the affections of his lesbian daughter has withdrawn his offer.

Cecil Chao Sze-tsung, a 77-year-old property magnate sparked global controversy in 2012 when, refusing to accept his daughter Gigi's civil union to her lesbian partner of eight years, he offered 500 million Hong kong dollars to the man who could convince her to marry him.

He then doubled it recently, insisting that Gigi was 'still single', despite the fact that she married her long-term partner Sean Eav two years ago.

Scroll down to read the letter in full

His 34-year-old daughter initially laughed it off, but last week she went public with her plea for him to understand that she is gay, and that if it is as easy as he thinks to change her sexual orientation, he should lead by example.

Now the father of three has taken his offer off the table and said the money is 'staying in his pocket.'

'If Gigi's said that this is what she chooses, then it's all over,' Cecil Chao said Thursday an interview with CNN.

'I can't say I am happy with her choice,' he said. '