China’s government finds surprising support for same-sex marriage

AFTER A WHIRLWIND romance and two years of dating, Emma and her girlfriend, Han, have tied the knot (see picture). They invited about 100 people to their wedding on January 18th in the south-western city of Kunming. It involved a ceremony, with the two women in matching white wedding dresses, followed by a banquet and an after-party. Emma says she was both excited and nervous. The wedding meant “commitment and responsibility” and “the courage to spend the rest of my life with the one”. She is looking forward to starting a family with Han.

There is a catch. Chinese law does not recognise the couple’s marriage. This means they cannot legally adopt a child. Were one of them to give birth, the baby might even have difficulty obtaining a hukou, a form of internal passport that is essential for gaining access to many public services including education and health care. Any change in the status of gay marriage is probably some way off.