Love wins as Taiwan becomes first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage

Taiwan, May 17, 2019:

Love has prevailed in island nation Taiwan as it has become the first country country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

The vote came almost two years after the island's Constitutional Court ruled that the existing law - which said marriage was between a man and a woman - was unconstitutional. The panel of judges gave the island's parliament two years to amend or enact new laws.

On Friday - only a week off the two-year deadline - lawmakers in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a bill making same-sex marriage a reality. The law will go into effect on May 24.

Tens of thousands of Taiwanese braved the pouring rain and demonstrated in favor of same-sex marriage. Many LGBTQ organizations also came out to support their cause and to demand equality for all couples, irrespective of their sexual preferences.

Thousands came out holding rainbow flags and umbrellas, emblematic of the LGBTQ community, to demonstrate in capital Teipei.

It may be mentioned that 67% of Taiwanese rejected same-sex marriage in a referendum in November last year, where people continue to be divided over the issue. Still, Taiwan has a large and vibrant same-sex community and there is a large gay parade held on the streets of Taiwan every year which celebrates love.

Same sex marriage in Asia happens to be a controversial topic as people have a more conservative way of living in these parts of the world.

In China, for instance, the author of a same-sex erotic novel was sent to prison. Moreover, the ruler of Brunei stated that people would be stoned to death for practising same-sex marriage.

The LGBTQ community of India heaved a sigh of relief as one of the world’s biggest — if not the biggest — and longest-running gay right battles was won in India in September, 2018.

India’s Supreme Court struck down a 157-year-old colonial-era law, Section 377, that criminalized all sexual activity apart from heterosexual sex as “against the order of nature.”