Marriage equality, once heralded as a settled issue in many parts of the world, is now facing renewed scrutiny and pushback, both in the United States and across Asia. Despite more than a decade since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, and with two-thirds of Americans expressing support for marriage equality, the battle for LGBTQ rights is far from over. Recent developments in the U.S., Mongolia, Hong Kong, and the broader Asia-Pacific region reveal a complex landscape where progress is met with persistent resistance and new challenges.
In the United States, the right to marry for same-sex couples has been the law of the land for over ten years. Yet, as reported by local news outlets, this hard-won right is under threat. Kim Davis, the former county clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky, who famously refused to issue marriage licenses to LGBTQ couples, is now petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality. This comes at a time when the Court’s conservative majority has already demonstrated a willingness to revisit and reverse precedent, as seen in its recent decision to strike down a half-century-old ruling protecting abortion rights.
Davis, supported by the ultra-conservative Liberty Council, argues that her First Amendment rights have been violated by the fines and attorney fees—totaling $360,000—she owes after refusing to certify marriage licenses for same-sex couples. The Liberty Council insists that marriage equality threatens the religious liberty of those who believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman. This argument has found traction beyond the courts: in June 2025, the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, voted to prioritize overturning the marriage equality ruling. At least nine states now have legislation aimed at blocking new licenses for same-sex marriages or resolutions urging the Supreme Court to revisit its 2015 decision.
Opposition to same-sex marriage in the U.S. often draws from both religious and social arguments. Some claim that homosexuality is unnatural or that children fare better with heterosexual parents, despite extensive research showing that sexual orientation is a natural aspect of human diversity and that children raised by same-sex couples do just as well as those raised by opposite-sex couples. As one long-time journalist and advocate noted, “Most couples don’t realize that marriage confers 1,138 federal rights, protections, and responsibilities,” including employment, family, tax, estate, and medical benefits. The loss of these rights would have significant legal and economic consequences for the estimated 823,000 same-sex married couples in the U.S.—about 1.3% of all married couples.
Globally, the struggle for LGBTQ rights is equally fraught. In September 2025, Manila hosted the 3rd Asian Development Bank (ADB) Learning Week, convening LGBTQ and intersex activists, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders from across Asia and the Pacific. The event, co-organized by groups such as the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus and ILGA Asia, was intended to foster dialogue with the ADB on inclusive development. Yet, in a move that disappointed many attendees, all bank staff scheduled to participate withdrew at the last minute. This withdrawal was seen by activists as a troubling sign of backtracking by an institution that had made recent strides toward LGBTQ and intersex inclusion.
“It’s really unfortunate that we have this situation,” said Bambang Prayudi, executive director of Indonesia’s Perkumpulan Suara Kita, “but we understand if there is some trepidation to engage with the LGBTQI community given the changing geopolitical context and a dismaying pushback on rights across the spectrum.” Activists voiced concerns that the bank’s retreat cast doubt on its commitment to its own Strategy 2030, which promises a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and Pacific—a promise that, they argue, must include LGBTQ communities.
Despite the setback, there have been notable policy advances. Last year, the ADB approved a new Environmental and Social Framework that, for the first time, explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity in its definition of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. This framework is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. In December 2024, the bank also approved an ambitious roadmap for sexual and gender minorities’ inclusion for 2025–2030, but later removed the document from its website without explanation, fueling uncertainty among activists. The bank also failed to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in 2025, breaking with a tradition it had maintained since 2019.
“ADB needs to have continued dialogue with the LGBTQI community and hold regular meetings with us if it seeks to implement policies that claim to benefit us,” said Midnight Poonkasetwattana, executive director of APCOM. “They have to remember: Nothing about us, without us. They cannot enact SOGIESC-inclusive policies without involving the LGBTQI community.”
The challenges facing LGBTQ rights are not confined to policy and legal battles. In Mongolia, the United Nations Human Rights Committee in 2025 urged the government to bolster protections for LGBTQ and intersex people, warning that entrenched discrimination and gaps in legal recognition undermine recent progress. Mongolia has decriminalized consensual same-sex relations and outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its labor and criminal codes. However, the country still does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions, and protections for queer parents remain limited.
The U.N. report highlighted the need for Mongolia to strengthen its anti-discrimination framework, ensure freedom of peaceful assembly for LGBTQ people, and provide better legal remedies for victims of bias and violence. It cited troubling examples of police harassment, lack of access to justice, and insufficient support for LGBTQ individuals in state institutions. Erdeneburen Dorjpurev, deputy director of the LGBT Center in Mongolia, shared harrowing accounts of police abuse and the reluctance of victims to seek help due to fear of further mistreatment. “Even today, we still struggle in safe reporting, file complaints against any discriminatory acts,” Dorjpurev told the Washington Blade, emphasizing the urgent need for systemic change.
Elsewhere in Asia, the fight for recognition continues to play out in the courts and legislatures. In Hong Kong, lawmakers in August 2025 overwhelmingly rejected a bill that would have allowed same-sex couples married or in civil unions overseas to register their partnerships locally—a move that would have granted them limited legal rights, including making medical decisions for each other. This rejection came despite a 2023 Court of Appeal order for the government to establish a system for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships.
While Taiwan, Nepal, and Thailand have legalized same-sex marriage, and Japanese courts have ruled against the country’s ban, much of Asia remains a patchwork of progress and setbacks. Yet, in the midst of these challenges, cultural milestones like the Philippines’ first gay dating show, “Sparks Camp,” are helping to foster greater visibility and acceptance, even as legal protections lag behind.
Across continents, the fight for LGBTQ rights remains a story of both resilience and resistance. As legal battles rage and policies shift, the lived experiences of LGBTQ individuals continue to underscore the importance of inclusion—not just in law, but in everyday life.