Sawt Falasteen - Hong Kong LGBTQ couples seek love, recognition in mass wedding

The Chinese city does not recognise same-sex marriage and the newlyweds had to legally register their marriages in the United States, with the officiant joining via video call from Utah.

For Daisy Ko and Dark Chan, their marriage on Tuesday -- even though it came with fewer rights than those of heterosexual couples -- was the fulfilment of a dream years in the making.

"This was my promise to her and today we did it... I'm excited and really happy," Chan, 45, told AFP.

Support for same-sex marriage in Hong Kong has grown over the past decade and hit 60 percent last year, according to a survey by three universities.

More Hong Kong LGBTQ couples are interested in getting married following a landmark court decision last year that ordered better protections of same-sex couples' rights, organisers of Tuesday's "Pride to Wed" event said.

The event was meant as a joyous occasion shared with family and friends, as well as a way to boost public awareness, according to co-organiser Kurt Tung.

"There hasn't been an LGBTQ mass wedding in Hong Kong... (The event) is significant for the community," said Tung, who co-founded an LGBTQ wedding planning business.

"I hope one day that everybody will accept the fact that love is not just between men and women," said businessman Lucas Peng, 66, after marrying his long-term partner.

"To be able to publicly declare our love for each other today is a very important step for us."

Citing the Thai senate's decision this month to legalise same-sex marriage, Peng said he hoped Hong Kong and his native Singapore would follow suit.

- 'Choices' for all -

Hong Kong's top court last September rejected same-sex marriage, but gave the government two years to set up an alternative framework -- potentially in the form of civil unions -- to recognise the rights of same-sex couples.

The government was conducting a "detailed study" into the complex issues, a top minister said last month, though no public consultation has been announced.

Tung said there had been a spike in LGBTQ couples wanting to get married after the court ruling despite the lack of immediate policy changes.

Couples needed a private, comfortable setting so they could feel at ease, while homophobia remained a problem in Hong Kong's hospitality industry, Tung added.

Founded in 2018, her business used to handle 10 or so weddings a year but now the number is closer to 100. Tuesday's mass wedding drew applications from 30 couples.

"Couples used to ask me, what's the point of marriage?" Tung said. "Nowadays they are considering the question of where to get married."

On Tuesday, the 20 participants stood at the front of the ballroom while the marriage officiant in Utah, shown on a large screen, conducted the ceremony.

Utah has become popular among the LGBTQ community as it only requires the officiant to be located in the state, and marriage ceremonies can be held online.

Same-sex couples who are legally married overseas enjoy limited rights while living in Hong Kong, in areas such as taxes, visas, housing and inheritance -- the result of years-long legal battles.

Some of those rights are still disputed by the government and activists say they hope the upcoming legal framework can protect rights in a more comprehensive way.

Newly-wed Chan hoped Hong Kong will one day allow same-sex marriage, so that spouses will have legal status in taking care of one another.

"Aside from (affirming) our love, in case something goes wrong, the marriage certificate is very important as a legal document," she said.

Liam Mak, a wedding participant who is transgender, said marriage should be for all.

"Ideally marriage doesn't have to be divided into same-sex or different sexes. Marriage is marriage."

H.Darwish--SF-PST