Hong Kong’s Court of Appeals ruled in favor of two same-sex couples in separate cases involving their rights to own and rent public housing. While same-sex marriage is not legal in the city, the rulings follow other decisions that have firmly established same-sex couples’ rights to equal treatment under the law.
Justice Shrestha’s interim order will allow same-sex couples and other LGBTQ+ couples to legally register their marriages immediately, while the government prepares legislation to amend the civil code and formally legalize same-sex marriage.
Same-sex marriage in India is not currently legal and queer couples in the country are only afforded certain rights if they live together as a cohabitating couple.
It’s the first central European country to do so. It is a rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has invoked the West’s “moral degeneracy” as one justification for his war against Ukraine.
The ruling adds pressure on the Japanese parliament to legalize same-sex marriages. Japan remains the only country in the G7 that has not legalized marriage equality.
In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court of Namibia has ruled that the government is required to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other nations between citizens and foreign nationals.
In a landmark ruling, the Seoul High Court found a government health insurer did owe coverage to the spouse of a customer after the firm withdrew it when it found out the pair were gay.
The bill requires that the federal and state governments to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed by other states.
The 17-million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now supports a bill that codifies the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in any state by other states and the federal government.
Some hope this may be a step towards the whole of Japan embracing equality. It is currently the only country in the G7 group of developed nations which doesn’t recognize same-sex unions.
