The discrimination watchdog vowed on Monday to speed up the legislative process for protecting gay rights - which is deemed as an important step toward making same-sex marriage legal in Hong Kong.

This comes after the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide in late June. The historic decision was seen as a milestone for the world's gay rights movements.

But concern groups warned such a move in Hong Kong could disrupt social harmony.

In a report to the Legislative Council, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) put legal protection for sexual minorities as its second priority for future work, with a review of the city's discrimination law topping the list.

EOC Chairman York Chow Yat-ngok said the commission would collect more public views on the issue. He hopes that after wider discussion in society, people will be better informed on these issues.

The EOC had commissioned the Gender Research Centre of the Chinese University of Hong Kong to conduct a feasibility study of legislation against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status last May. A final report is expected in the fourth quarter and will be presented to the government for "appropriate legislative steps".

Legislator and gay rights advocate Raymond Chan Chi-chuen welcomed the EOC's decision. He said Hong Kong urgently needed to offer legal protection to homosexuals.

Since 2001, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has suggested several times that the Hong Kong government should improve gay rights via legislation. However, the government believes it is better to do this through education.

Chan hoped the EOC's research would put pressure on the government to push forward the legislation.

He said people in Hong Kong had already reached a consensus on the issue. In a previous poll conducted by the EOC last year, 60 percent of 1,504 people interviewed believed it necessary to have a law to protect sexual minorities from discrimination.

Chan also considered the EOC research an important step toward legalization of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong.

"In other places in the world, full equality for homosexuals was all granted step by step," Chan said. He said he would propose legalizing civil unions - a less formal domestic partnership - in order to fight for more rights for homosexuals.

However, there are still dissenting voices. President of Parents for the Family Association Howard Lai said there was no urgent need for a gay rights law in Hong Kong.

Other research by the EOC in 2014 found that among all surveyed victims of discrimination, only 0.2 percent of cases related to sexual orientation. This was the lowest of all categories. Age discrimination topped the list, making up 64 percent. Lai hoped therefore that the EOC would readjust its priorities.

Meanwhile, as the EOC move was an obvious step toward same-sex marriage legalization, Lai warned of its possible impact on society. He said such an "idealistic approach" could have a negative impact on the city's traditions. Lai said this had happened in many countries, including the US, which was now polarized over the issue.

luisliu@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 07/21/2015 page7)