On Wednesday, 24 May 2017, in a first for Asia, Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled, 12-2-1, in favor of same-sex marriage, punctuating a years-long campaign by advocates for gay rights in one of the continent’s most liberal democracies. In its majority opinion, the court said a provision in the current civil code barring same-sex marriages stood in violation of two articles of the constitution safeguarding human dignity and equality under the law. Two of the court’s 15 justices filed dissenting opinions and one recused himself in the case.
Authorities must now either enact or amend relevant laws within two years, failing which same-sex couples could have their marriages recognized by submitting a written document, the court said. A bill to enforce the ruling is already working its way through the legislature, where both the ruling and major opposition parties support legalization of same-sex marriage. Surveys show a majority of the public is also in favor, as is President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female leader.
The ruling was greeted with rapturous applause outside the legislature not far from the court in the center of the capital, Taipei, where hundreds had gathered with rainbow flags and noisemakers emblazoned with slogans in favor of gay marriage.
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2017/05/taiwan-become...
