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Chinese web users applauded a rare same-sex marriage on Chinese soil as a British diplomat announced his wedding online.
Brian Davidson, the UK consul-general in Shanghai, posted wedding photos of himself and his same-sex partner Scott Chang on Weibo on Saturday.
“We can finally exchange vows in the presence of my family and friends (British, American, Chinese), and commit to each other until death do us part. This is really important for me and my partner,” Davidson said.
As of Monday afternoon, the post has been re-tweeted more than 30,000 times, and generated nearly 20,000 comments – many congratulating the couple and sending best wishes.
“Love is equal for all. Being heterosexual, I support legalisation of same-sex marriage,” one person wrote.
“Gay people in China should come out and announce their marriage to spread the message that true love should be recognised, regardless of sexuality,” another said.
“Same-sex marriage is not a privilege. It is affording people the rights they should be born to have,” wrote another.
Despite activists’ efforts for legal reform, same-sex marriage and civil union are not permitted in China. The country’s marriage laws explicitly define marriage as a union "between a man and woman".
The couple were married at the Beijing residence of Sir Sebastian Wood, the British ambassador to China, under British jurisdiction.
The UK parliament passed the same-sex marriage bill in July last year, and same-sex couples can now marry at 23 British consulates around the world – including mainland China.
The British consulate in Hong Kong, however, cannot perform these ceremonies nor issue marriage certificates due to an objection lodged by the SAR government.
The Chinese media reported the country’s first same-sex marriage in 2010, when a gay couple from Chengdu in southwestern China staged their wedding at a local gay bar.
The couple told the Beijing News that they faced a huge amount of pressure after their marriage hit the media spotlight, with strangers pointing at them in the street and families calling to berate them.
The couple are still seeking “social recognition” of their status and a legally-binding marriage certificate.
Not all messages for Davidson were so welcoming. Some commentators made reference to “mental illness” even though homosexuality was removed from the list of mental diseases by the Chinese health ministry over a decade ago.
The China Rainbow Media Awards, an annual award set up by NGOs and gay forums to raise awareness of same-sex rights said on its Weibo homepage, “Homophobia is seen everywhere in our society. There is a long way to go before the legalisation of same-sex marriage in China [can be achieved].”
Wei Jiangang, friend of the couple and founder of LGBT webcast Queer Comrades, said the couple wanted to engage a wider society in an open discussion on homosexuality “as many still choose to stay in the closet [for fear of social stigma].”
“You could still spot a significant number of negative comments on Brian’s post,” Wei Jiangang said, yet there is more dialogue between LGBT people, their supporters and the public comparing with five or six years ago, thanks to the boom of Internet and social media.
“LGBT people and their supporters have come to understand the power of discourse… They no more remain silent when being openly attacked by discrimination. They hit back and they promote rational dialogue.”


Gay wedding of British diplomat in China draws online support

Brian Davidson posted this wedding photo on his weibo last Saturday. Photo: Weibo

UK consulate in Hong Kong bars same-sex weddings after government objection

Henry Lam (left) and Guy Ho are lobbying the government for their marriage in Canada to be recognised in Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee


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China

China Insider

Chinese web users applauded a rare same-sex marriage on Chinese soil as a British diplomat announced his wedding online.


Gay wedding of British diplomat in China draws online support

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese web users applauded a rare same-sex marriage on Chinese soil as a British diplomat announced his wedding online.

Chinese web users applauded a rare same-sex marriage on Chinese soil as a British diplomat announced his wedding online.