CHANGSHA, China – A judge on Wednesday ruled against a gay couple in China’s first same-sex marriage case that attracted several hundred cheering supporters to the courthouse and was seen as a landmark moment for the country’s emerging LGBT rights movement.
The court in the central city of Changsha dismissed the suit brought against the local civil affairs bureau for refusing to issue the couple a marriage registration certificate.
The couple’s lawyer Shi Fulong said he expected the judge would rule against them but not so soon – within just a few hours. “It goes against the spirit of the laws of the people’s republic of China,” Shi said.
Plaintiff Sun Wenlin said he would appeal until he exhausts all legal options.
The lawsuit comes amid growing awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues in China, where society and the government have generally frowned on non-traditional expressions of gender and sexuality.