A same-sex couple have today made legal history in China by having their case for gay marriage heard in court.
Sun Wenlin, 27, and 37-year-old Hu Mingliang, from Changsha in Hunan Province, had their case dismissed by the judge - but they still believe equality has taken a step forward.
"I was not so concerned about the outcome of the case, the fact we made it to court shows there is progress," says Sun Wenlin.
For three hours their case was argued in front of a packed court room in central Changsha. Dozens of LGBT supporters had been queuing outside the court from 7.30am in order to witness this landmark moment.
Many left in tears after the judge ruled the couple did not have a case to answer and that in law, marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
"I am very upset," Sun Wenbin told ITV News outside the court. "But I still hope that we will be married while we are still alive."
They now hope their case can pave the way for others. There will be an appeal of course, but it is unlikely to succeed.
The couple, who met over the internet two years ago, say they fell in love immediately and within a year they had decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
But same sex marriage is not legal in China, neither are civil partnerships. In fact, homosexuality was only decriminalised here in 1997, and in 2001 it was taken off a list of mental disorders.
However, Sun and Hu were determined not to let the law stop them, and last year tried to register their proposed union with the Civil Affairs Bureau in Changsha. They were refused and so, decided to sue.
Their case is the first of its kind in China, and they say it signals a step forward in LGBT equality.
Sun and Hu had been told by several lawyers that their case would be dismissed out of hand and today it was, but not before they got their day in court.
The couple promise to fight on to make sure that gay marriage is made legal in their lifetime.
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