Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen celebrates same-sex marriage ruling: ‘Love won’

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen is celebrating the news that same-sex marriage has been legalised in the country, thus becoming the first Asian country to do so.

Tsai tweeted on Friday (May 17): “On May 17th, 2019 in #Taiwan, #LoveWon. We took a big step towards true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.”

Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party pushed through a vote on same-sex marriage in parliament on Friday (May 17), which marks the annual International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT).

Legislators voted for a government-backed bill that would define a union between a same-sex couple as a marriage. Conservative opponents had proposed rival bills that would define partnerships as “same-sex unions” or “same-sex familial relationships.”

Taiwan makes same-sex marriage history in Asia

Tsai and the DPP’s victory on equal marriage makes Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.

However, same-sex marriage has caused division in Taiwan ever since Taiwan’s top court ruled that defining marriage as being between only a man and a woman was unconstitutional.

In a referendum last November, 72 percent of Taiwan voted against same-sex marriage, showing the opposition towards LGBT+ rights that still persists in the region.

The referendum, which did not impact the supreme court decision to legalise same-sex marriage, favoured defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

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Gay rights supporters celebrate outside Parliament after lawmakers legalised same-sex marriage bill in Taipei on May 17, 2019. (SAM YEH/AFP/Getty)

Taiwan votes for same-sex marriage over weaker solutions

Legislators voted between three separate bills to recognise same-sex unions on Friday, but ultimately pushed ahead with the DPP’s law defining same-sex unions as marriages. The bill was considered the most progressive of the three.

The other two bills limited the definition of marriage to that between a man and a woman and sought to create a new type of union for same-sex couples. One bill proposed calling marriage a “same-sex familial relationship,” with partners being called “same-sex family members.” The other bill sought to call same-sex marriage a “same-sex union” with partners referred to as “domestic partners.”

The DPP’s bill will recognise unions as marriages, the same as heterosexual couples, and define partners as spouses.

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The bill will also allow same-sex couples to adopt each other’s biological children, but not adopt non-biological children.

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