Hong Kong Court Affirms Rights for Same-Sex Couples #

Hong Kong’s top court upheld inheritance and public housing benefits for same-sex married couples, marking a significant step toward expanding gay rights. Although Hong Kong does not recognize same-sex marriage, the rulings concluded two lengthy legal battles involving overseas marriages.

In 2018, a couple faced the denial of their joint public housing application, leading to a successful legal challenge against the Housing Authority. Similarly, in 2019, a husband contested inheritance rights for a government-subsidized apartment, and lower courts ruled in his favor even after his spouse’s death.

The court stated that excluding same-sex married couples from housing policies and inheritance laws was unjustifiable, and distributed benefits must be free from discrimination. Advocates welcomed these rulings as affirmations of the rights of same-sex couples.

Last year, the court mandated the government to establish a framework for legally recognizing same-sex partnerships by October 2025. Public support for same-sex marriage in Hong Kong has grown, with 60 percent backing it. “The most sensible thing to do is to legalize same-sex marriage,” emphasized calls for the government to develop a comprehensive legal framework.