Hong Kong’s top court rules in favor of legal recognition for same-sex partnerships
NBCSep 01, 2023
Hong Kong: Same-Sex Couples Awarded Public Housing Rights
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The Facts
On Tuesday, a Hong Kong court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to rent and own public housing, striking down existing government policies it termed "discriminatory in nature."
Upholding two previous rulings backing subsidized housing benefits to same-sex couples, the court said the Housing Authority's policies violated the constitutional right to equality, adding the differential treatment is "a more severe form of indirect discrimination than most cases."
The Spin
Left narrative
The Hong Kong court's ruling will go a long way in easing the lives of the city's LGBTQ+ community. The government must bear responsibility for institutionalizing a more liberal approach to the rights of same-sex couples and use its power to end entrenched discrimination.
Right narrative
Acknowledging same-sex unions as "marriage" undermines the traditional institution in Hong Kong. It undercuts the concept of family as initiated through traditional marriages. It is important to recognize long-standing and historical values of custom and culture.
