HKQA welcomes the High Court's decision on same sex couples' eligibility to apply for public housing

Our Association welcomes the recent decision of the Court of First Instance on same sex couples' eligibility to apply for public housing in Hong Kong. In Infinger, Nick v The Hong Kong Housing Authority [2020] HKCFI 329, Mr Justice Anderson Chow Ka-ming has ruled that the Hong Kong government’s policy to exclude same-sex couples who has entered into lawful and monogamous marriages overseas from eligibility to apply for public housing is unlawful and unconstitutional for being in violation of Article 25 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong and Article 22 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.

Article 25 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong states that:

All Hong Kong residents shall be equal before the law.

Article 22 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights states that:

All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Quidditch is a gender-inclusive sport, and our Association strongly believes in and advocates for equal rights for people of all sexes and genders. Our Association hopes that there will be more changes in Hong Kong and around the world to bring us towards a more just and equal society.

Post image: Rainbow_flag_and_blue_skies.jpg: Ludovic Bertron from New York City, Usaderivative work: Marlith / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)