A Hong Kong court docket has upheld two earlier rulings that supported the granting of backed housing advantages to same-sex {couples}, in one other victory for the town’s LGBTQ+ group
ByKANIS LEUNG Related Press
October 17, 2023, 11:37 AM
HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court docket on Tuesday upheld two earlier rulings that supported the granting of backed housing advantages to same-sex {couples}, in one other victory for the town’s LGBTQ+ group.
The choice rejected appeals by the Housing Authority of the sooner rulings, which mentioned a few of its insurance policies violated the constitutional proper to equality.
One of many insurance policies denies same-sex {couples} married abroad eligibility to use for public rental housing as an “bizarre household.” The opposite excludes same-sex married companions of homeowners of backed flats from being outlined as “relations” and “spouses,” blocking them from receiving joint occupancy and possession rights that heterosexual {couples} get pleasure from.
Judges of the Court docket of Enchantment mentioned the differential remedy “is a extra extreme type of oblique discrimination than most {cases} as a result of the criterion is one which same-sex {couples} can by no means meet.”
The ruling is anticipated to have a robust impression on the lives of same-sex {couples}.
Presently, Hong Kong solely acknowledges same-sex marriage for sure functions corresponding to taxation, civil service advantages and dependent visas. Most of the authorities concessions have been gained by way of authorized challenges lately as the town has seen a rising social acceptance of same-sex marriage.
Final month, the town’s prime court docket dominated in a landmark determination that the federal government ought to present a framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships.
Henry Li, who was concerned in one of many housing profit {cases}, mentioned in a Facebook publish that he was grateful for the court docket determination and hoped the Housing Authority wouldn’t file one other attraction.
The group Hong Kong Marriage Equality mentioned on Fb that the ruling confirmed that public insurance policies ought to defend everybody’s pursuits and defend them from discrimination based mostly on their sexual orientation.