The state of Utah in the United States has no citizenship requirements for marriage licenses, and Utah County is the only place there that allows international couples to register their marriages online. Since the county rolled out virtual weddings during the Covid-19 pandemic, it became a wedding haven for same-sex couples who are not able to officially marry in their own countries.
As sexual minorities in China face suppression at home, Utah County is allowing them to officially marry and celebrate their love — all for around $100. Although the marriages aren’t recognized in China, some 200 same-sex couples from mainland China and Hong Kong have gotten married via the county’s digital marriage license system since 2021.
For authorities in Utah County, the influx of international couples came as a surprise. The Utah County and Auditor’s Office moved its marriage licensing service online, as part of a digitization initiative in 2019. At the start of the pandemic, a number of couples requested Zoom ceremonies, and the county made those available as well.
The service first attracted couples in Utah, followed by people from across the U.S., and later, from all over the world. From May 1 to September 20 this year, at least 77 same-sex couples with mainland Chinese addresses have been married there, said county deputy clerk Russ Rampton, who oversees marriage licensing, to Rest of World.
Although same-sex marriage remains illegal in Hong Kong, under a different set of laws to mainland China, residents who get married in other places are able to apply for dependent visas in the city for their partners. Married gay people are also able to mark themselves as married in tax filings.
In his vow, however, [one marriage certificate applicant] Zhu said he was looking forward to getting married a second time — in China. “If one day our country allows this, I hope we could get married again in this country,” Zhu said to his husband before they kissed.
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Marriage equality does not stop in the West.
absolutely amazing this is happening in UTAH of all places
when people are like “oh yeah i never hang out with my nieces and nephews bc i hate kids. but wait until they’re older haha they’re gonna love me im gonna be the COOL aunt/uncle/whatever” like i hate to break it to you but even when they’re older you will probably just be like any other awkward out of touch relative that they dread seeing because you refuse to engage with anyone that isn’t directly inside the usual circle you socialize with. make an effort bitch
btw its not that hard to be the cool cousin/aunt/uncle/etc, kids are ecstatic to just have someone who listens to them
Only major complaint about Pokémon Legends Arceus so far is that I can’t play it one-handed
Hm. It seems that I’ve become so lost in my fantasy of playing Pokémon while eating a sandwich that I’ve neglected to consider a very obvious interpretation of this comment
I will defend OP here because Pokemon was very inspired by the Mother games, and the instructions for Earthbound have a bit about how you can play using just the dpad and L button and eat a pizza with your right hand. The ideal gaming experience is gaming and eating without stopping, and OP is right to want it.
I do not fear the Spotify wrapped, for I am a human being with a spark of the divine within me. And it? It is an app. A long series of 1’s and 0’s that let me listen to my lovely songs. It cannot judge me, it cannot understand me, indeed it cannot even perceive me.
ALT
