A Hong Kong top court has ruled in favour of gay spousal benefits
The BBC reports that a top court in Hong Kong has rule in favour of a civil servant’s husband to have th same spousal and tax benefits.
Angus Leung married Scott Adams in New Zealand in 2014 but Adams was since unable to have benefits that civil servants are entitled to in Hong Kong.
Although same-sex marriages are not binding in Hong Kong, the couple sued the government in 2015 in what became a four year lawsuit. Leung took the government to court initially after the couple were not allowed to file a joint tax return.
The Court of Final Appeal ruled that preventing Mr Adams from the benefits was discriminatory. It added that the institution of marriage would not be affected by the ruling.
“How is it said that allowing Mr Adams medical and dental benefits weakens the institution of marriage in Hong Kong?” said the ruling by Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma and four other judges.
“Love will ultimately win,” Mr Leung said. “We have been fighting for more than four years…[but] it’s only a small step for Hong Kong’s LGBT rights.”
