SHANGHAI: A leading Chinese sociologist has introduced a proposal to the government that calls for marriage equality. It is the same proposal that she has lodged with the government since 2003 and she hopes that as China is changing, more will follow her in support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. She said on China's micro-blogging site Sina Weibo that a National People's Congress (NPC) official has brought the proposal to Beijing for the annual conference, which began this week. “Homosexual people are Chinese citizens and there are homosexuals who want to get married. Their request should be addressed as it does not run against their civil rights as citizens,” read Li's proposal. Li has been an ardent advocate for LGBT rights in the country and is a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. While it is yet another positive step for LGBT rights in the East Asian country, it is likely to fall on deaf years once again. It needs at least 30 members of the NPG to sign the document before it can become a legislative proposal. No NPC member has ever publicly support marriage equality. Observers do not expect China to be the first Asian country to push marriage equality. For the East Asian economic giant, it is a slow process, and while not garnering much international attention, local activists are hopeful that they can start to build their presence to put China's LGBT community in the global spotlight. Late last month, two women were brushed aside and reportedly treated poorly by governmental workers when they attempted to register a lesbian marriage. “When the couple expressed the desire to get married, the person behind the desk was visibly shocked and annoyed, and told the two visitors to consult another department," said a statement from the Beijing LGBT Center. “When the couple further asked this staff member about marriage equality in China, the staff got up and left, leaving the lesbian couple without a choice but to exit." Director of PFLAG China Ah Qiang told the South China Morning Post that he has not received a response to the letter from any NPC delegates over the matter. Don't expect it said lesbian Zi in a previous interview with Bikyanews.com. “We can try, but right now I doubt the government cares. There just aren't enough LGBT people speaking out about our future and our love," she added.
