When did taiwan legalise gay marriage

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Taiwan since 24 May , making it the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. On 24 May , the Constitutional Court ruled that the marriage law was unconstitutional, and that the constitutional right to equality and freedom of marriage guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry under the Taiwanese Constitution.

The ruling gave the. Taiwan’s lawmakers have passed a same-sex marriage bill, making it the first place in Asia to bring in gay marriage. Taiwan's parliament has become the first in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage following a vote on Friday. In , the island's constitutional court ruled that same-sex couples had the right to. In May , Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled that the existing law covering marriage discriminated against same-sex couples.

The court gave the legislature two years to amend existing laws or pass new legislation to legalize same-sex unions. Taiwan became first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. A combination of government, civil society and business support has led to this decision. The example of Taiwan serves as a boost to LGBT. The law is due to take effect on 24 May Share Save. Get unlimited access to exclusive stories and incisive insights from the ST newsroom.

We took a big step towards true equality, and made Taiwan a better country. The court gave the legislature two years to amend existing laws or pass new legislation to legalize same-sex unions. Historic India ruling legalises gay sex Brunei won't enforce gay sex death penalty 'Taught the stones shouldn't be too big'. But the island remains a staunchly conservative place, especially outside urban areas.

In a historic decision, India's Supreme Court ruled that gay sex was no longer a criminal offence in September Tsai publicly backed the law, passed on 17 May, commemorating its passage by tweeting: On May 17th, in Taiwan , LoveWon. Men in skirts challenge gender stereotypes. He and other KMT frontrunners, such as Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu, have been careful not to publicly oppose the law since its passage.

Taiwan recently made history by becoming the first country in Asia to legalise marriages between same-sex couples.

However, conservative opponents were angered by the vote. Several same-sex activists had said ahead of the vote that this was the only version they would accept. Meanwhile, Tseng Hsien-ying, from the Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation, told AFP news agency the vote had "trampled on Taiwanese people's expectations that a marriage and a family is formed by a man and a woman, a husband and a wife".

Taiwan same-sex marriage law

But the government's bill, also the only one to offer limited adoption rights, was passed by 66 to 27 votes - backed by lawmakers from the majority Democratic Progressive Party. There were shouts of joy and some tearful embraces as the result was announced. The vote is a major victory for the island's LGBT community who have campaigned for years to have equal marriage rights and it places the island at the vanguard of Asia's burgeoning gay rights movement.

How does this compare to other countries in the region? Tsai has spent the past two months fending off an unexpected primary challenge from William Lai, her former premier and the popular ex-mayor of Tainan. Now that the law has been enacted, we are a country ruled by law, and I respect it. Taiwan goes to the polls in January. But opponents were incensed by the vote, saying the inclusion of the "marriage registration" clause ignored the referendum.

To them, the law still falls short of full equality: it crucially restricts adoption rights and marriages involving foreign spouses from countries which do not recognise same-sex unions. Amnesty International believes that the human rights to dignity and equality require that marriage rights for same-sex couples are guaranteed on the same basis and with all the same rights as marriages between couples of opposite sex.

As a result, Taiwan said it would not alter its existing definition of marriage in civil law, and instead would enact a special law for same-sex marriage. This is a moment to cherish and celebrate, but it has been a long and arduous campaign for Taiwan to become the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Published May 17, , AM. Choose edition. Tsai had previously hesitated to push forward a compliant law following the high court ruling on same-sex marriage amid a surge of conservative opposition.