New | Gay man sues for right to marry in China’s first same-sex marriage lawsuit

A court has accepted China’s first same-sex marriage case – lodged by a gay man against a civil affairs bureau for denying him the right to marry – in a decision hailed as a step forward for gay rights.

While homosexuality is not illegal in China, and large cities have thriving gay scenes, same-sex marriage is not legal and same-sex couples have no legal protections.

Sun Wenlin, 26, said a court in Changsha, southern Hunan province, had accepted his lawsuit on Tuesday.

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“I think from a legal point of view, we should be successful,” Sun said. “Our marriage law says there is the freedom to marry and gender equality. These words can be applied to same-sex marriage.”

Sun said he had filed the lawsuit in December because he wanted to form a family unit with his 36-year-old partner.

Sun said he had tried to register to marry his boyfriend at the Furong district civil affairs bureau in June but was rejected by an official who told him “marriage had to be between a man and woman”.

Officials at the Furong district civil affairs bureau could not be reached for comment and a court official in Furong, where the case will be heard, said the court “will not comment on cases before they are heard”.

China is becoming more tolerant of homosexuality, which until 2001 was listed as a mental disorder, but many gay people remain under heavy pressure to stay in the closet.