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Taiwan Becomes First Asian Country to Approve Same-Sex Marriage

CBN

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Taiwan is now the first Asian nation to recognize same-sex marriage after a years-long push from gay rights activist. 
    
The country did not allow gay unions, but the court ruled that barring same-sex marriage was a violation of the constitution.

The Constitutional Court claims that its current laws stipulating that marriage is between one man and one woman are harmful to human dignity and equality.

Authorities are now required to enact or amend relevant laws within the next two years. 

Legislation enforcing the new ruling is already working its way through the legislature, where both parties support the legalization of same-sex marriage. 

"This explanation is a step forward in the history of Taiwan's same-sex marriage," said Yu Mei-nu, a Taiwanese legislator.

"People like me in the position of being in same-sex relationship with children, we need this law even earlier, even faster," said Jay Lin, a father of two and the founder and director of the Taiwan International Queer Film Festival.

"And so everybody here and everybody who (is) supporting this law in Taiwan and throughout the world, all be rooting for us. And we will be giving a lot of pressure to the legislators to pass this law once and for all," Lin said.

Taiwan already has a large gay community and their annual gay pride parade is the biggest in Asia.
 
The majority of the public is also in favor of same-sex marriage, according to recent surveys. 

    
 

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