Latest news with #sameSexMarriage
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Malay Mail
Gay Chinese couples flock to Thailand for weddings as same-sex marriage gains recognition
PATTAYA, June 2 — When Wang Zengyi, 41, and Song Jihan, 29, first met at a friend's dinner party in China, it was love at first sight. 'I thought he was handsome and pure,' says Wang. 'Our love has deepened over time.' Nearly three years later, the gay Chinese couple are getting married in Thailand, which became Asia's largest nation to legalise same-sex marriage earlier this year — including for foreign couples. They are among the first Chinese LGBTQ pairs to tie the knot in the Southeast Asian country as it celebrates its first Pride since the law's passage. 'Thailand is a freer country,' said Wang after they signed their marriage certificate at a Bangkok registry office. 'It's also more inclusive to our community.' He believes they are the first gay Chinese couple to host a full wedding ceremony in Thailand, but that 'gradually' more will follow in their footsteps. 'I think we are unique so far... but I hope we can have a positive influence.' They enlisted the help of an agent and a consultant to organise the wedding and paperwork to finally make their dream come true. Bureaucratic hurdles Chinese authorities decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, but same-sex marriage is not legal and social stigma is widespread. Despite a period of relative relaxation in the 2000s to mid-2010s, rights groups say recent years have seen a crackdown on the community's spaces and freedom of expression. Real estate agent Owen Zhu has a property business in Thailand that also helps gay Chinese couples come to Thailand to get married. Zhu, 40, said that the biggest difficulties couples like Wang and Song face are linked to paperwork, as well as prejudice. It is difficult for Chinese LGBTQ individuals to obtain the certificate of single status required by Thailand proving that they are not married, he told AFP. China also does not recognise same-sex marriages registered abroad. But Zhu believes that despite China's bureaucratic hurdles, there will be a rise in the number of Chinese couples looking to wed and even live long-term in Thailand. 'There is large market demand from many Chinese same-sex couples,' he says. 'Thailand is a particularly tempting place, allowing freedom to do things not possible in China, like holding hands or kissing in public with a partner. In China, they may not dare do such things.' Zhu says the simple act of signing a marriage document is deeply meaningful for his clients. 'Though this piece of paper might not be recognised in China, in their hearts, they see it as recognition and acceptance from the world,' he says. Love ballads, vows More than 30 countries have legalised marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to allow same-sex unions in 2001. Thailand was the third place in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal. The kingdom ranks high on recent indexes measuring public attitudes towards LGBTQ people, but matching legal structures were absent before it passed the same-sex marriage bill in a historic parliamentary vote last June. Thousands of couples across the kingdom tied the knot in a mass wedding the day same-sex unions became legal in January this year. Chris Yan, a legal consultant who helped Wang and Song navigate Thai administration to formalise their partnership, says the process for foreigners to register their marriage in Thailand is fairly smooth as long as they can provide the necessary documents. 'I believe it is more advanced than many other countries, since the cost in Thailand is quite low,' he says. 'They can stay in the country for longer and processing the documents is quicker.' Surrounded by dozens of close friends and their ring-bearing small fluffy dog, Wang and Song sing love ballads to each other on a sandy Pattaya beach before tearfully reading their wedding vows. They will return home to China after their honeymoon, but hope to eventually retire in Thailand. Life is short, is the message they have for other couples like them. Wang said: 'Be with the one you want to be with.' — AFP
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Republican support for same-sex marriage plummeting since 2022
Related coverage: St. Pete raises LGBTQ+ Pride flag over City Hall TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A new poll from Gallup shows the largest party divide ever recorded for support for same-sex marriages. Republican support for same-sex marriage peaked in 2022 at 55%, but has since plummeted 14 points to 41% in May 2025. Meanwhile, support amongst Democrats is the highest it's ever been, at 88%. Though levels of support also briefly declined in 2022 before rising again this year. Those numbers reveal a 47-point difference between support among Democrats versus Republicans, which Gallup says is the largest divide since they began tracking this measure in 1996. Despite the growing divide, support levels in both parties are higher than they were 10 years ago when the Supreme Court, with its Obergefell v. Hodges decision, ruled same-sex marriages were protected under the law. The gap between the two parties is even larger in the question of the morality of same-sex relationships, with a 48-point difference. Republican views on the morality of same-sex relations had the steepest decline ever recorded between 2022 and 2023, when the percentage of those who believed the relationships are morally acceptable dropped 15 points from 56% to 41%. In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. While the case was largely unrelated to LGBTQ+ issues, it was at that time that Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that the Supreme Court should 'reconsider' past rulings on same-sex marriages and relationships. In keeping with previous years, women, people between the ages 18-34 and those who graduated from college are more likely to support same-sex marriage than men, people older than 35 and people who did not graduate college. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Gay Chinese couple fulfil wedding dream in ‘freer' Thailand: ‘more inclusive to our community'
When Wang Zengyi, 41, and Song Jihan, 29, first met at a friend's dinner party in China , it was love at first sight. 'I thought he was handsome and pure,' says Wang. 'Our love has deepened over time.' Nearly three years later, the gay Chinese couple are getting married in Thailand , which became Asia's largest nation to legalise same-sex marriage earlier this year – including for foreign couples. They are among the first Chinese LGBTQ pairs to tie the knot in the Southeast Asian country as it celebrates its first Pride since the law's passage. 'Thailand is a freer country,' said Wang after they signed their marriage certificate at a Bangkok registry office. 'It's also more inclusive to our community.' He believes they are the first gay Chinese couple to host a full wedding ceremony in Thailand, but that 'gradually' more will follow in their footsteps.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Gay Chinese couple fulfil wedding dream in 'freer' Thailand
When Wang Zengyi, 41, and Song Jihan, 29, first met at a friend's dinner party in China, it was love at first sight. "I thought he was handsome and pure," says Wang. "Our love has deepened over time." Nearly three years later, the gay Chinese couple are getting married in Thailand, which became Asia's largest nation to legalise same-sex marriage earlier this year -– including for foreign couples. They are among the first Chinese LGBTQ pairs to tie the knot in the Southeast Asian country as it celebrates its first Pride since the law's passage. "Thailand is a freer country," said Wang after they signed their marriage certificate at a Bangkok registry office. "It's also more inclusive to our community." He believes they are the first gay Chinese couple to host a full wedding ceremony in Thailand, but that "gradually" more will follow in their footsteps. "I think we are unique so far... but I hope we can have a positive influence." They enlisted the help of an agent and a consultant to organise the wedding and paperwork to finally make their dream come true. - Bureaucratic hurdles - Chinese authorities decriminalised homosexuality in 1997, but same-sex marriage is not legal and social stigma is widespread. Despite a period of relative relaxation in the 2000s to mid-2010s, rights groups say recent years have seen a crackdown on the community's spaces and freedom of expression. Real estate agent Owen Zhu has a property business in Thailand that also helps gay Chinese couples come to Thailand to get married. Zhu, 40, said that the biggest difficulties couples like Wang and Song face are linked to paperwork, as well as prejudice. It is difficult for Chinese LGBTQ individuals to obtain the certificate of single status required by Thailand proving that they are not married, he told AFP. China also does not recognise same-sex marriages registered abroad. But Zhu believes that despite China's bureaucratic hurdles, there will be a rise in the number of Chinese couples looking to wed and even live long-term in Thailand. "There is large market demand from many Chinese same-sex couples," he says. "Thailand is a particularly tempting place, allowing freedom to do things not possible in China, like holding hands or kissing in public with a partner. In China, they may not dare do such things." Zhu says the simple act of signing a marriage document is deeply meaningful for his clients. "Though this piece of paper might not be recognised in China, in their hearts, they see it as recognition and acceptance from the world," he says. - Love ballads, vows - More than 30 countries have legalised marriage for all since the Netherlands became the first to allow same-sex unions in 2001. Thailand was the third place in Asia after Taiwan and Nepal. The kingdom ranks high on recent indexes measuring public attitudes towards LGBTQ people, but matching legal structures were absent before it passed the same-sex marriage bill in a historic parliamentary vote last June. Thousands of couples across the kingdom tied the knot in a mass wedding the day same-sex unions became legal in January this year. Chris Yan, a legal consultant who helped Wang and Song navigate Thai administration to formalise their partnership, says the process for foreigners to register their marriage in Thailand is fairly smooth as long as they can provide the necessary documents. "I believe it is more advanced than many other countries, since the cost in Thailand is quite low," he says. "They can stay in the country for longer and processing the documents is quicker." Surrounded by dozens of close friends and their ring-bearing small fluffy dog, Wang and Song sing love ballads to each other on a sandy Pattaya beach before tearfully reading their wedding vows. They will return home to China after their honeymoon, but hope to eventually retire in Thailand. Life is short, is the message they have for other couples like them. Wang said: "Be with the one you want to be with." bur-sjc/aph/dhc
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Support for same-sex marriage stays strong as party divide widens, poll shows
The Brief A decade after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, 68% of Americans still support it, according to Gallup. Support among Democrats has reached a record 88%, while Republican support has dropped to 41%, creating the largest-ever partisan gap on the issue. Despite steady national support, the widening divide and political efforts to revisit past rulings may put same-sex marriage rights at risk. WASHINGTON - It's been a decade since the Supreme Court made same-sex marriages legal across the U.S. in its ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. A recent Gallup poll said currently 68% of Americans still support the ruling. By the numbers According to Gallup, since 2021, about 68% to 71% of U.S. adults have supported same-sex marriage. While overall support has stayed steady, party opinions have shifted. Support among Democrats has hit a record high of 88%, and independents remain steady at 76%. RELATED: Trump signs order aiming to limit gender transitions for minors But Republican support has dropped from a high of 55% to 41%, the lowest since 2016. The gap between Democrats and Republicans is now 47 points—the widest it's been since Gallup started tracking this issue 29 years ago. Support for same-sex marriage was low in 1996, with only 27% of Americans in favor. By 2004, it rose to 42%, and in 2011, most Americans supported it for the first time. After the 2015 Supreme Court ruling, support jumped to 61% in 2016 and has stayed above that since. Democrats have always been more supportive than Republicans, with independents generally closer to Democrats. A majority of Democrats have backed same-sex marriage since 2004, and independents since 2011. Support has grown among both groups. Republicans have only shown majority support twice—at 55% in 2021 and 2022—but that number has since dropped. Why you should care Gallup's May 1–18 poll showed that 64% of Americans say gay or lesbian relationships are morally acceptable. That number has stayed the same for the past three years. However, it is down from a high of 71% in 2022. Most Americans have felt this way since 2010. As with same-sex marriage, Democrats and Republicans are growing further apart. Right now, 86% of Democrats say same-sex relations are morally acceptable—a new high—while only 38% of Republicans agree, the lowest since 2012. Republican support peaked at 56% in 2022 but has dropped since then. Independents are closer to Democrats on this issue, with 69% currently saying same-sex relationships are morally acceptable. Their views have stayed more stable over time. Dig deeper Even though national support remains high, the growing political divide could put LGBTQ+ rights at risk. In 2022, Justice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider past rulings, including those on same-sex marriage. Since then, some Republican lawmakers have pushed for the Supreme Court to overturn that decision. RELATED: What is DEI? Trump ends equal employment 'restoring merit-based opportunity' President Donald Trump has also rolled back protections for LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender individuals. These actions suggest same-sex marriage could face new legal and political threats. The Source The information in this story comes from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted from May 1 to May 18, 2025. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
