Hong Kong’s top court rules in favor of recognizing same-sex partnerships in a landmark case

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s top court has ruled the government should provide a framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships in a landmark decision for the city’s LGBTQ+ community. The ruling did not grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples but is a partial victory for prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham, who had fought a five-year legal battle over the recognition of same-sex marriage registered overseas. Sham married his husband in New York in 2013, and argued that Hong Kong’s laws, which don’t recognize foreign same-sex marriage, violate the constitutional right to equality. Equality advocates say the judgment is a step forward and will have strong implications for the lives of the LGBTQ+ community and the financial hub’s reputation as an inclusive place to stay and work.