Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The New York Times reports:
As tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the rainy streets of Taipei on Friday, lawmakers in Taiwan voted to legalize same-sex marriage, a first for Asia. “We want to marry!” supporters outside the legislature chanted in approval of the measure, as they applauded and waved signs and rainbow banners.
“On May 17th, 2019 in #Taiwan, #LoveWon,” President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted after the vote. “We took a big step towards true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.”
The legislature faced a deadline imposed by Taiwan’s constitutional court, which in 2017 struck down the Civil Code’s definition of marriage as exclusively between a man and woman. The court gave the government two years to revise the law, or same-sex couples would automatically be allowed to have their marriages registered by the local authorities.
The BBC reports:
Lawmakers debated three different bills to legalise same-sex unions and the government’s bill, the most progressive of the three, was passed.
The two other bills, submitted by conservative lawmakers, refer to partnerships as “same-sex family relationships” or “same-sex unions” rather than “marriages”.
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. It will take effect after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen passes it into law.
The Washington Post reports:
Although claimed by China as its own territory, Taiwan is a self-governing democracy with a vibrant civil society dedicated to promoting rights for sexual and ethnic minorities, women, the handicapped and others.
Mainland China, ruled by the authoritarian Communist Party, remains much more conservative and officials have repeatedly discouraged even the discussion of legalizing same-sex marriage. Despite that, news of Taiwan’s new law was a major trending topic on social media in China, with more than 100 million views on the Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo.
Opponents in Taiwan raised fears of incest, insurance scams and children confused by having two mothers or two fathers. Both sides of the issue have held colorful street demonstrations and lobbied lawmakers.
Today, Taiwan becomes the first place to legally recognise same-sex marriage in Asia ?️?
Thanks to people like Jay, the next generation in Taiwan will know that it’s okay to be gay #IDAHOBIT pic.twitter.com/SNPC20PnH0
— Foreign Office ?? is celebrating #IDAHOBIT (@foreignoffice) May 17, 2019