Taiwan To Finally Legalise Gay Marriage

Buddhist same-sex marriage in Taiwan, 2012
Rights to pri.org

Taiwan have slowly been easing the idea of gay marriage onto the public for years now, contemplating for years over the matter. Now, it has been reported, marriage equality will come to Taiwan on the 24th May 2019, which is less than a month away. Congratulations to Taiwan, and hopefully all goes smoothly.

This makes history, as Taiwan will be the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage. And, from the looks of the steps it's taken, Asia is proving a hard continent to please. Tradition is heavily valued and we can clearly see this in Taiwan's reluctance to change law to make it possible for gay men and women to marry.

In 2017, the people voted for a seperate union for gay couples, in order to make no new amendments to the Civil Code. However, the Constitutional Court declared it unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples equal rights, and so there was a two year deadline for legislation (and here we are in 2019). The bill was drafted in February and passed onto Parliament, now we cross our fingers and wait.

Many will be holding celebration if this becomes a reality, with a report of 157 couples ready to wed as soon as the bill is passed on May 24th. However, in December the governement statement was that 4,000 registered to marry in December. This clearly proves it's time for marriage equality in Asia, but first we start in Taiwan.



Read more on Taiwan's marriage equality:
https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbti-couples-in-taiwan-to-celebrate-marriage-equality-with-massive-banquet/#gs.6wsj55
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/02/20/taiwan-first-asian-country-create-same-sex-marriage-bill/
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201904230019.aspx
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/11/25/taiwan-same-sex-marriage/