To Be or Not To Be: Recognition of Same-sex Partnerships in Hong Kong

Abstract

The primary aim of this article is to provide a background study and analysis of same-sex partnerships in the hope that it may assist the debate and contribute to policymaking. This article begins by looking at the events that led to the 1991 decriminalisation of homosexual conduct between consenting adults in private. This is followed by a summary and analysis of the gay and lesbian rights movement as a global force. It is argued that the recent success of gay and lesbian groups, especially in the liberal West, is closely related to a larger movement for equality and nondiscrimination. The author argues that the demands of same-sex couples in Hong Kong are also part of this wider movement for equality and non-discrimination and deserve to be debated and addressed without undue delay.