It’s one step closer. One ginormous step for Asia.
Same sex marriage bill out of committee! #Taiwan #LoveIsLove pic.twitter.com/MPTew2qKil
— Ketty W. Chen (@HelloKetty1998) December 26, 2016
It’s one step closer. One ginormous step for Asia. When Taiwan passes a new amendment to civil law which legalizes same-sex marriage, it will become the first country in Asia to do so.
Did we mention, Taiwan also elected its first female president Tsai Ing-Wen this year? Talk about being progressive.
On Monday, Taiwanese parliament passed the first draft of a marriage bill that indicates marriage between “man and woman” AND “both parties of a same-sex marriage.”
According to Taipei Times, the amendment to the Civil Code will include anti-discriminatory provisions so adoptions cannot be based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Mei-Nu, said:
The legislation will not destroy the family or abolish marriage…The public can rest assured that the legislation will not change heterosexual marriage in any way, but it will extend such marriages to same-sex couples…We are not God. How do we have the right to decide on other people’s human rights?
Under a normal timeline, it will require six months of different hierarchies of approval before the amendment is passed. But what this means for LGBTQ travelers is that Taiwan will be a safe place to travel to. Unfortunately, there are quite a few countries in Asia where LGBTQ communities are not only looked down upon but forbidden. These popular destinations include: India, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore…etc.
Taiwan is on its way to change that, and we’re glad it’s sooner rather than later.
