Taiwan set to legalise same-sex marriage

“Now, if something happens to the child, the other partner is nothing but a stranger,” said Su, a 35-yearold software engineer in Taipei. By contrast, either partner in a legally recognised marriage could make legal, medical and educational decisions, she says. Taiwanese lawmakers are currently working on three bills in support of marriage equality, one of which is already listed for review and could be passed within months. Same-sex marriage also has the prominent support of President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s first female head of state. About 80 percent of Taiwanese between ages 20 and 29 support same-sex marriage, said Tseng Yen-jung, spokeswoman for the group Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy, citing local university studies. Taiwan’s United Daily News found in a survey taken four years ago that 55 percent of the public supported same-sex marriage, with 37 percent opposed. That’s seen as a reflection of Taiwan’s ready acceptance of multi-party democracy and other inclusive attitudes, as well as the fact that Taiwan’s 23 million people largely follow Buddhism and traditional Chinese religions that take no strong positions on sexual orientation or gay marriage. 

Taiwan would join Canada, Colombia, Ireland, the United States and 16 other countries that have legalised same-sex marriage over the past 15 years, according to the Washington, DC-based LGBT rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.