Lesbian couple get married in China to push for legal recognition
A lesbian couple in China have held a wedding ceremony, with a view to pushing for legal recognition of same-sex relationships there.
Li Tingting and Teresa Xu, married less than a week after the US Supreme Court ruled that all couples, gay or straight, have a constitutional right to marry.
They said the SCOTUS decision inspired them to hold their own wedding ceremony.
“Everyone in China was then celebrating it, but that’s a US law. What use does it have in China?” Tingting said. “We think we should do something about it.”
The couple’s ceremony took place in a suburb of Beijing.
Tingting was previously detained in China for campaigning for women’s rights.
Currently same-sex marriage is not legal in China, but a small, increasingly vocal group of LGBT advocates are pushing for legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
The couple exchanged wedding vows and rings in a private room in a restaurant which was decorated with balloons, rainbow flags and photos, reports the Associated Press.
Around two dozen friends attended, as well as members of the press.
“We want to take some action to advocate for same-sex marriage,” Li said.
“It’s doing the impossible when you know it’s impossible, but it takes those constant efforts to make changes in history.”
She went on to say that security services had got in touch to enquire about the wedding, and that they were excited at the attention they had already received.
