Taiwan Legalizes Asia’s First Same-Sex Marriage Law

Taiwan becomes the first country in Asia to legalized same-sex marriage on Friday, when the government successfully passed the watered-down legislation, allowing same-sex couples to form ‘exclusive permanent unions’ and apply for a ‘marriage registration’.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has hailed the vote as a “big step towards true equality that made Taiwan a better country”. While opponents are saying the inclusion of the ‘marriage registration’ clause has ignored the votes of 70 percent voters who had voted in the referendum that allows keeping marriage limited to only a man and a woman.

But for now, this is a major victory for the island’s LGBT community and this will also encourage Asia’s increasing gay rights movement to fight more aggressively for their rights.

To celebrate the occasion, thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament despite heavy rain, flashing victory signs, waving rainbow flags and breaking into cheers as the news is out.

Gay rights groups hailed the vote saying the ability to apply for a ‘marriage registration’ also known as ‘Clause Four’ in the constitution has now bought the community much closer and in parity to the heterosexual couples.

Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, said “The passage of Clause Four ensures that two persons of the same-sex can register their marriage on May 24th and ensure that Taiwan becomes the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage and to successfully open a new page in history”.

Taiwan’s top court has ruled out against allowing same-sex couples to marry, saying it violates the constitution, two years ago, but gave the government until May 24, 2019, to make the changes and see whether marriage equality can be enacted automatically or not.

Now when the bill has been passed there are still some key sections of the law that remains to be debated. But gay rights groups have said they were willing to accept compromises, as long as the new law recognizes the concept of marriage.

Gay rights lawyer Victoria Hsu says, “In Taiwan a marriage will take effect when it is registered, so allowing marriage registration is no doubt recognizing the marriage itself”.

In the last decade, Taiwan has developed itself into one of the most progressive societies in Asia, when it comes to gay rights. Taiwan also stages the continent’s biggest annual gay pride parade. But the island remains a staunchly conservative place, mainly outside the urban areas. 

Now apart from Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand are the only places in the wider Asia-Pacific region to have passed gay marriage laws.