This archive report was first published on 21 December 2019.
Despite a tightening grip on the LGBT community in China, the public has made a strong push for legalizing same-sex marriage, with over 237,000 online suggestions and 5,600 letters submitted to lawmakers.
According to Yue Zhongming, a spokesperson for the Commission for Legislative Affairs, the public feedback was solicited in November ahead of the commission's meeting to discuss updates to the civil code, which deals with matters relating to marriage and family.
Among the suggestions, legalizing same-sex marriage was a top request, along with clarifying the definition of close relatives and improving shared debt obligations of spouses.
However, it remains unclear whether same-sex marriage will be included in the final draft of the civil code, which lawmakers are scheduled to discuss from December 23-28.
China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from its list of mental illnesses in 2001, but same-sex marriage remains illegal.
Recent years have seen a crackdown on the LGBT community, with censors muting discussions on social media, banning gay content in films, and preventing the sale of rainbow-themed items online.
