LGBT couples in China ‘wed’ online as new marriage law omits gay partnerships

App offers ‘marriage’ certificates after new civil code, covering matters from property to adoption, says marriage is ‘between a man and a woman’

Nearly 250,000 people had written to demand same-sex couples’ inclusion, but parliamentary official dismissed pleas as ‘copied and pasted’

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Same-sex marriage has no legal status in China despite a swell of support for change. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:05pm, 29 Jun 2020Updated: 11:20pm, 29 Jun 2020

Engaged for over three years, Guo and Zhu are fed up waiting for Chinese lawmakers to approve same-sex marriage and have turned online to gain recognition for their relationship.

Despite a shake-up of China’s marriage law last month – and a groundswell of support for same-sex unions in the socially conservative country – demands to make gay marriage legal have not been met.

The two men joined thousands of other couples announcing their “wedding” through an app that gives same-sex couples an unrecognised marriage certificate to share with friends, colleagues and the public.

“We can’t live in the shadows any more,” artist Guo said, using only his surname. “My partner’s family is still coming to terms with it.”

01:18

Taiwan marks anniversary of Asia's first law legalising gay marriage

In mainland China, only couples who have tied the knot can adopt children, access fertility services or jointly buy a house.

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