Taiwan Set To Become First Asian Nation To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage As Parliament Readies Bills

Credit largely goes to Buddhism. ABC News reports:

Taiwan could become the first Asian country to pass same-sex marriage laws. Taiwanese parliamentarians have begun work on three bills in support of marriage equality, one of which is already listed for review and could be passed within months.

President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female head of state, said as recently as October she supported same-sex marriage. Yu Mei-nu, a ruling Democratic Progressive Party MP who is sponsoring the same-sex marriage bill now in line for parliamentary debate, said it would be a big step forward for human rights in the region.

The Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy group said about 80 per cent of Taiwanese people between the ages of 20 and 29 support same-sex marriage, citing local university studies. In a 2012 survey, Taiwan’s United Daily News found 55 per cent of the public supported same-sex marriage, with 37 per cent opposed.

Those figures could reflect Taiwan’s ready acceptance of multi-party democracy and other inclusive attitudes, as well as the fact Taiwan’s 23 million people largely follow Buddhism and traditional Chinese religions that take no strong positions on sexual orientation or gay marriage.