ComingfromAustralia，whichdatesitsmodernnationalhistorytoafoundationlittlemorethan200yearsago，thethoughtofasociety32，000yearsagoisspeciallydifficulttoconceive.Whatwasparticularlyamazingwasthatthejadeobjecthadnoutilitarianvalue.Noneatall.Itwasnotconnectedwithfood，shelter，protection，orprocreation.Itwasjustanobjectofbeauty，createdbythemakerandpresentedtothewearersolongago.Itindicatedthat，eveninsuchancienttimes，inChina，humanbeingsenjoyednon-utilitarianfeelings.Theymanifestedadevelopedspiritualandaestheticsense.Theytriedtomaketheirliveshappierandricherinfeelingsaswellasinpossessions.
Withexcitement，Itelephonedmypartner，Johan，inAustraliatotellhimofmyjadediscovery.Tosharewithhimmysenseofhumilityandwonder.TocometoChina，withsuchalongcivilisation，tocontributetonewthinkingaboutdiversity，equality，andharmonyinthematterofsexualitymightseemapresumption.Tocomefromamuchyoungercountrytoonesoancientandlongestablished，mightseemoverlyambitious.
Mypartnerencouragedmetostaythecourse.Theself-samequestforbeautyandspiritualfeelingsillustratedbytheancientdiscofjadecannowbeinvokedtohelpinanunderstandingthathumanityisalwaysexploringitsfeelingsforloveandbeauty.Humanbeingsaremorethantheirmeansofsurvival.Theyarecomplexcreaturesinanever-continuingprocessofevolution.Theyarerichindiversity.Tovirtuallyallofthem，loveforself，forfamily，forspecialfriends，andfornatureisimportant-aconstantsourceofexplorationandyearning.
SoIovercomemyfeelingsofinadequacy.Ioffermythoughtsonthesubjectsofthisworkshop.Idosofromaperspectiveofalawyer，ajudgeinanindependentcourt，apersonwhohasbeeninvolvedintheinternationaldevelopmentofhumanrightsandmorerecentlyinthestruggleagainstHIV/AIDS.Butaboveall，asahumanbeingwithinalienablehumanrightsanddignity.Andonewhoishomosexualinsexualorientationandthusabletospeaktotheworkshopdirectly，frompersonalexperience，whichIamreadytoshare.