Parents in China call for same-sex marriage to be legalised
More than 100 parents with children who are gay or lesbian have written to the National People's Congress calling for the legalisation of same-sex marriage. "We're appealing to NPC deputies to take notice of calls from 120 million parents of gays and lesbians for a revision of the Marriage Law in order to grant our children equal rights to marriage," they said in an open letter.
More than 100 parents with children who are gay or lesbian have written to the National People's Congress calling for the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
"We're appealing to NPC deputies to take notice of calls from 120 million parents of gays and lesbians for a revision of the Marriage Law in order to grant our children equal rights to marriage," they said in an open letter.
The NPC will convene its annual session in Beijing on Tuesday.
We're appealing to NPC deputies to take notice of calls from 120 million parents of gays and lesbians for a revision of the Marriage Law in order to grant our children equal rights to marriage
Homosexual relationships are not recognised under mainland law, which means that people involved in them face discrimination in matters such as hospital visits, inheritance, adoptions and home purchases.
One signatory, the mother of a 23-year-old man from Shenzhen, said she was worried about her only son's future because legal inequality would deprive him of a decent life, having a partner, a family and the chance of adopting a child.
She said she had learned to come to terms with her son's homosexuality after he came out to her four years ago and considered his well-being more important than the fact she could never be a grandmother.
Hu Zhijun , a gay rights activist from Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians China, said the parents issued the open letter after receiving very few responses from NPC deputies they tried to reach through letters and social media sites since January.