Hong Kong made significant progress on LGBTQ rights, but uncertainty remains. The government is urged to keep pace as public approval and court rulings have evolved.
In recent months, Hong Kong has seen several significant wins for LGBTQ rights in the court system, including rulings to no longer require conversion surgery to change gender on ID cards and to create a framework to recognize same-sex partnerships. The city’s highest court ordered the government to develop a framework to recognize same-sex partnerships within two years and the Gay Games, an event for LGBTQ athletes, were allowed to take place in Hong Kong. Despite this progress, worries persist over potential government hesitation, opposition from religious groups, and possible intervention from Beijing.
The Hong Kong government has yet to hint how it intends to comply with the top court’s ruling and the Housing Authority has appealed to overturn housing rulings. Anti-gay religious opponents, including a lawmaker, have expressed concerns that the games and the legalization of same-sex marriage could become national security threats. The annual Hong Kong Pride Parade was also not held this year, despite the end of COVID restrictions. It is thought that the courts and public opinion in Hong Kong are moving faster than the government seems willing to do so.
While same-sex couples who married abroad already qualify for certain benefits in Hong Kong, many in the LGBTQ community are pushing for equal rights and recognition within their own city. The city’s mini-constitution promises that all Hong Kong residents “shall be equal before the law,” leading to arguments that creating a separate status for LGBTQ citizens would not grant them the same rights as heterosexual couples. Nonetheless, it is uncertain if the Hong Kong government will take the needed steps to maintain pace with the recent court rulings.
