A college student from Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, sent letters to 100 deputies of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday, asking them to submit proposals on the legislation of same-sex marriage next week.

Liang Wenhui, a junior majoring in social work at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, who is homosexual himself, made the decision after learning that two lesbian couples from Beijing and Guangzhou had tried to register for marriage, but were rejected by local authorities. In response to the incident, parents of over 100 homosexual people in Guangzhou signed an open letter to NPC deputies over the past few days.

Pushing for change

Liang found the complete list of NPC deputies on the body's official website and chose to contact 100 of them.

A proposal for same-sex marriage from Li Yinhe, China's most prominent sexologist, was also enclosed with Liang's letter. Li has been calling for same-sex legislation for years, but her ideas have never been reflected in the NPC's discussions.

"I hope they reply, even just a few. The best outcome would be to see real proposals at next week's NPC, but in light of the limited time, I hope my action will at least draw more public attention and discussion regarding gay rights," Liang told the Global Times Thursday.

A number of homosexual couples in China share a household, but they face difficulties with many issues including medical treatment, property and insurance management, and even child adoption without the legal protection and recognition enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.

Looking for solutions

Zhu Lieyu, a Guangzhou-based lawyer and an NPC deputy, told the Nandu Daily that he had received a motion from the local homosexual community regarding the subject and that legislation is needed to protect their rights, but he said he would not submit the proposal this year, explaining that further research is needed.

"Same-sex marriage is still a taboo in our traditional culture, and the social relationships of the couple and their families would need readjustment once they're married," Zhu said, adding that intensive research and pilot programs, such as family registration for same-sex partners, will be good preparation for formal legislation.

Liu Hui, a Beijing-based lawyer specializing in family law, echoed Zhu's opinion that a civil union law is perhaps a better solution than revising the Marriage Law.

"It won't be an immediate success and I totally agree with doing intensive research beforehand. That's what my nonprofit organization is trying to push as well," said Liang.

College students in China have become a powerful force in the fight for homosexual rights. Many young people are no longer afraid of coming out of the closet and are working to push for legal progress.

"I was under huge family pressure and thought 'I'll just marry a girl I don't hate.' But now, I'm fighting for my rights as I don't want to hurt an innocent girl," a senior student from Beijing surnamed Wei told the Global Times.