Hong Kong's High Court refused to allow three transgender men to be recognised as males on their official identity cards because they have not undergone full sex-change operations.
The ruling Friday was seen as a blow to the fledgling LGBT movement in the semiautonomous Chinese city of 7.4 million people, which is preparing to host the 2022 Gay Games.
The three, identified as Henry Tse, Q and R, are shown on their ID cards as having been born female, but are undergoing hormone therapy. A full sex change would require the removal of female sexual organs, making them sterile.
Appearing in court, Tse unfurled a banner that read, "Forced Sterilization is cruel and inhumane. Recognize our Rights NOW!" In his ruling, Judge Thomas Au wrote that "the change of gender entry stated in the ID card does not only concern the private right of the transgender person but also the wider public interest."