HONG KONG ¨C Lesbian newlyweds Jaedyn Yu and Gloria Tsang believe a recent ruling by Hong Kong to veto a bill that would have allowed limited legal rights for same-sex couples shows how the city lags internationally on human rights.

The bill represented an opportunity to implement what would have been a rare liberal shift in Hong Kong¡¯s legal landscape, amid a yearslong crackdown on dissent and the city¡¯s pro-democracy opposition under a China-imposed national security law.

Yu and Tsang, who have been together for around five years, met thanks to their shared passion for music ¡ª Yu, 35, is a drummer and Tsang, 33, a vocal percussionist.

Unable to marry legally in Hong Kong as a same-sex couple, they finally settled on tying the knot via Zoom with a U.S. officiant based in Utah as friends and family celebrated with them at their wedding in Bali, Indonesia, in May this year.

They believe the lack of broader rights for LGBTQ+ people in Hong Kong hampers the financial hub¡¯s ability to attract talent.

¡°I think Hong Kong prides itself on being an international city, and if we look around the world in terms of what international cities have, I don¡¯t think we are up to par,¡± Yu said.

The couple said they were disappointed but not surprised that Hong Kong¡¯s Legislative Council last week vetoed the bill that would have granted limited legal rights for same-sex couples who had registered their marriage or relationship overseas, as it had faced strong opposition from some pro-Beijing legislators.

¡°This doesn¡¯t affect just the LGBT community ... people with the values of equality, they would hesitate to come to Hong Kong because they might have kids of different sexual orientation,¡± Tsang said.

Since tying the knot, Yu and Tsang now hope that by being open about their relationship, they can help create a more accepting society in Hong Kong.

¡°It is a formal relationship ... I just wish that more people would be less scared of it and then hopefully society would be more accepting,¡± Yu said.