In a massive victory for marriage, Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has struck down a bill which would have allowed legal recognition of same-sex “marriage”. The ruling follows a judicial decision which blocked the constitutional recognition of same-sex “marriage”, but mandated the government to provide some framework for legal benefits for these unions.
The bill encountered stiff resistance from lawmakers and religious groups who argued that recognizing same-sex unions undermines traditional family values. Calls for postponement ultimately led to the measure’s rejection. 71 lawmakers opposed the bill while 14 supported it.
Chief Executive John Lee reaffirmed that “a lawful marriage in Hong Kong is between one man and one woman, and a monogamous and heterosexual marriage.”
Support for the bill was based upon providing legal “rights” for same-sex couples who had been “married” overseas and wanted recognition in Hong Kong. The rejection of this bill is a rejection of secular foreign influence over Hong Kong to try and force the redefinition of marriage upon those who hold to traditional values and the truth of marriage as the union of a man and a woman.