Good work,聽and keep going, Hong Kong.
A majority of people聽now support legalizing gay marriage, .
Researchers聽asked聽over 1,400 people about their attitudes toward same-sex couples in 2017, and compared the results to a similar survey they did in 2013. They found that overall, support for gay rights is growing.
In 2017, 50.4 percent of聽respondents聽said that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry 鈥 a substantial聽jump from聽38 percent in 2013.聽Some聽49.6 percent聽either聽said they were聽neutral or disagreed.
More people also now back the creation of聽a law聽that聽prohibits discrimination based on聽sexual orientation 鈥 69 percent in 2017, compared to聽58 percent in 2013.
An overwhelming majority 鈥 73 percent 鈥 of respondents in 2013 supported聽gay couples having the same rights for hospital visitation, housing discrimination, fatal accidents and property inheritance as heterosexual couples. That聽support has continued to grow, to 78 percent in 2017.
The results聽come just the day before a scheduled聽motion debate in LegCo聽on studying policies聽about same-sex unions. 黑料社 HK has contacted聽the office of Legislative Councillor聽Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, Hong Kong’s only openly gay lawmaker, who introduced the motion, for further comment.
The study聽is somewhat of a big deal for gay rights in Hong Kong, which have taken a hit in recent weeks.
An appeals court recently affirmed the government’s decision to deny a gay public servant’s request for spousal benefits.聽And just two weeks ago,聽Hong Kong’s libraries took 10 children’s books related to same-sex parenting off the shelves.
