View Poll Results: Should same sex marriage be legal in HK

Voters
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  • Overseas same sex marriages should be recognised

    15 7.28%
  • Same sex marriages should be possible in Hong Kong

    103 50.00%
  • Does it matter?

    20 9.71%
  • No, marriage is just for men and women

    68 33.01%
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Should Hong Kong recognise same sex marriage?

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  1. #11

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    Immigration has discretionary powers. They can approve dependant visa for same sex couples, if they so decide. No laws need to be changed.


  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldtimer:
    Immigration has discretionary powers. They can approve dependant visa for same sex couples, if they so decide. No laws need to be changed.
    I think I would prefer it to be written in the law rather than in the hands of an individual immigration officer.

  3. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oldtimer:
    Immigration has discretionary powers. They can approve dependant visa for same sex couples, if they so decide. No laws need to be changed.
    Have heard this a couple of times. Curious... how does this get approved when they insist that only spouses, kids and elderly parents can be classified as dependents?

    Long term stay visas is fine .. but dependents visa on a discretionary basis for same sex couples? People say this happens, but not one person has pin pointed what the application / discretionary / appeals process was.
    Elegiaque likes this.

  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by merchantms:
    I've seen gay couples holding hands on the street, and I've even seen a lesbian couple kissing on a tram (both locals), although they did stop when an elderly local man gave them a look.
    What KIND of a look? Perhaps it was a nod of approval!

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    146
    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Being probably one of the most progressive and liberal modern cities in Asia Hong Kong already attracts many same sex couples. The local population is probably much less conservative than mid-west USA for example. The freely elected seat in LegCo appear pretty socially progressive so it does seem to be an establishment issue.

    The Government of Hong Kong could really show that Hong Kong is a world city by moving forward faster. It is not a case of if but when.
    "One of the most progressive"? Gay sex was only decriminalized in the mid-2000s, and only after direct challenge in the courts. I moved to HK in 2005 and was shocked when I read about the case challenging the ban on gay sex by anyone under 21--I couldn't believe that such a law was still in place (Asia's World City indeed). I agree with earlier comments--it's not progressiveness so much as apathy. There are obviously many groups fighting for human rights in HK in various ways, but I don't get the sense that it's something the general public is interested in apart from the ongoing political battles.
    bibbju likes this.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by megatronic:
    "One of the most progressive"? Gay sex was only decriminalized in the mid-2000s, and only after direct challenge in the courts. I moved to HK in 2005 and was shocked when I read about the case challenging the ban on gay sex by anyone under 21--I couldn't believe that such a law was still in place (Asia's World City indeed). I agree with earlier comments--it's not progressiveness so much as apathy. There are obviously many groups fighting for human rights in HK in various ways, but I don't get the sense that it's something the general public is interested in apart from the ongoing political battles.
    If you are shocked, at least get the dates you were shocked about right...

    Homosexual sex was de-criminalised in 1991. The age of consent for homosexual sex was lowered from 21 to 16 in 2006.
    Last edited by Claire ex-ax; 18-05-2015 at 04:30 PM.
    Mat likes this.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Char Siu King:
    What KIND of a look? Perhaps it was a nod of approval!
    HAH! Maybe he was getting too excited...

  8. #18

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    "Should Hong Kong recognise same sex marriage?"

    This is a NON question.

    The answer is YES (locally or internationnaly).

    The question should be "When should HK recognise same sex marriage?"

    And the answeer would be ASAP.

    Next query EC.


  9. #19

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    Sep 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Claire ex-ax:
    If you are shocked, at least get the dates you were shocked about right...

    Homosexual sex was de-criminalised in 1991. The age of consent for homosexual sex was lowered from 21 to 16 in 2006.
    Thanks for the correction. I was basing my shock on the following:

    "In 2006, the Hong Kong Court of Appeal held that Hong Kong’s disparate age-of-consent laws for anal and vaginal sex violated the Basic Law and Bill of Rights (Leung v. Secretary for Justice). In that case, the court set important legal precedent, treating sexual orientation discrimination as a matter equally as grave as discrimination on the bases of race and sex (Lau 2008). In 2007, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal applied similar reasoning to hold that, by punishing public indecency by same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples unequally, the criminal code violated the Basic Law and Bill of Rights (Secretary for Justice v. Yau Yuk Lung Zigo and Another). Finally, in 2008, the High Court of Hong Kong held that the government broadcasting authority impermissibly discriminated when it objected to a television documentary on same-sex couples (Cho Man Kit v. Broadcasting Authority)."

    Source: https://www.law.hku.hk/ccpl/EmployRe...LauStotzer.pdf

    De-criminalization may have occurred in 1991, but gays and lesbians were clearly not treated equally in the eyes of the law. It took more than 15 years for public indecency laws to be equally granted to heterosexuals and homosexuals. That is not the mark of a progressive city.
    Last edited by megatronic; 18-05-2015 at 05:33 PM.
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  10. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by megatronic:
    That is not the mark of a progressive city.
    Honeslty it depends.

    Yes HK is supposed to be a Global City but honeslty it is in Aisa (not the most progressist societies) and right smack next to China. To top it of, I think in the mid/late nighties they were a lot more preoccuppied about the handover than about the gay and lesbian rights.

    This is not an excuse and in my view homosexual mariages should be recognised asap but let's not forget also that HK has changed hands in between and that end of the day it is in Asia....a lot less open overall that many western societies.

    .
    megatronic likes this.

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