Hong Kong Court Upholds Rights for Same-Sex Couples

Hong Kong's top court has delivered a significant victory for the LGBTQ+ community by affirming housing and inheritance rights for same-sex couples, rejecting the government's appeals against these rights. This ruling ends a protracted legal battle initiated by Nick Infinger and other LGBTQ activists, who challenged discriminatory policies that excluded them from public rental housing and inheritance laws. The court found these policies unconstitutional, with Chief Judge Andrew Cheung stating that such exclusions could not be justified. The ruling comes after a previous decision in 2023 that denied same-sex marriage legalization but mandated the government to create a framework for recognizing other rights for same-sex couples within two years. Advocacy groups are calling for immediate action to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, reflecting growing public support for LGBTQ rights in Hong Kong. Overall, the unanimous decision represents a crucial step towards equality and social acceptance for same-sex couples in the city.