A court in the Chinese city of Changsha has refused to grant a gay couple the right to marry in a maiden case for the nation.
Hunan resident Sun Wenlin took the civil affairs bureau of Changsha to court to assert his right to marry his partner Hu Mingliang.
The judge revealed on Wednesday that he had decided to dismiss the case soon after the hearing. Sun told The Guardian that he will continue to appeal the decision.
“I think it is worthwhile. It catches people’s attention and it will help our opinions spread,” Sun said.
“What we are trying to achieve is freedom and equality.”
Sun’s lawyer Shi Fulong said the court had not provided sufficient grounds to dismiss the case. Shi believes marriage equality in China is an inevitability.
“If the law is unable to provide people with equality and justice, it means the law needs to be changed,” Shi said.
China’s first trans discrimination case filed
A Chinese trans man will also be making judicial history, lodging a case against his previous employer for discrimination.
The man known as ‘C’ told media he was terminated from his last job for wearing ‘men’s clothing’ to work. The firm told C that his look may damage the company’s image.
C sought legal assistance from a LGBT legal workshop and was advised to take action despite China’s history of dismissing LGBT-related cases.
C told ‘Washington Post‘ he was worried about being berated by the public.
“I made the decision to stand up, because somebody needs to speak up for this group.”
C and lawyer Huang Sha filed a case last month, asking for recompense in the form of five weeks salary and a written apology.
OIP Staff
Sources
