Rights groups are claiming a small victory in Hong Kong after hearing the news that a transgender woman has won the right to marry her boyfriend.
Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal ruled in favor of the woman, identified only as W, on Monday. The decision, a surprise verdict, brings the semi-autonomous Chinese city in line with a few other places in Asia like Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, where transgender people are allowed to marry in their new gender, reports AP.
W’s lawyer, Michael Vidler, said his client was “overjoyed” at the decision but noted that the decision won’t take effect for 12 months as the government needs time to change marriage laws.
The ruling stops short of allowing same-sex marriage.
