Lawmakers in Hong Kong on Wednesday roundly rejected a bill that would have granted limited recognition to same-sex partnerships in the city, disappointing backers in the LGBTQ+ community.
Opposition was staunch: of the lawmakers present, 71 voted against the measure, 14 supported it and one abstained.
The legislation, unveiled by the government in July, would have created a registration system that would allow same-sex couples with unions that are legal in overseas jurisdictions access to rights such as hospital visitation. The measure followed a 2023 ruling in Hong Kong’s top court that the city must provide a framework to recognize same-sex relationships. The court gave city leaders a two-year deadline.
Legislator Holden Chow, vice chair of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said the bill’s passage would mean opening “a Pandora’s box” and “subverting Hong Kong’s marriage system between one man and one woman.”
LGBTQ+ rights activists had criticized the bill for making too little progress toward full recognition for same-sex marriages.
Jimmy Shan, whose court case to led to the 2023 ruling, said Wednesday that he hoped same-sex marriage recognition would come to Hong Kong eventually.
“I hope today marks a beginning we haven’t yet stepped into, rather than an end,” he said.
Includes reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters.
