Taiwan legalizes same-sex marriage in historic first for Asia - CNN - Julia Hollingsworth:
May 17, 2019 - "Lawmakers in Taiwan have approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a landmark decision that makes the self-ruled island the first place in Asia to pass gay marriage legislation.
The vote came almost two years after the island's Constitutional Court ruled that the existing law -- which said marriage was between a man and a woman -- was unconstitutional. The panel of judges gave the island's parliament two years to amend or enact new laws.
"On Friday -- only a week off the two-year deadline -- lawmakers in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a bill making same-sex marriage a reality. It will go into effect on May 24.
"Although the island has a large gay community and its annual gay pride parade is the biggest in Asia, the issue of marriage equality has bitterly divided Taiwanese society. In a controversial referendum in November last year, 67% voted to reject same-sex marriage....
"Tens of thousands of people braved pouring rain Friday to demonstrate in favor of same-sex marriage outside the parliament, as lawmakers began voting on three draft bills, one tabled by the island's Cabinet -- which would ultimately prove successful -- and two watered-down rival bills tabled by conservative groups.
"The successful Cabinet bill was the only one to use the word 'marriage.' It was backed by LGBTQ groups, despite the fact it could see same-sex couples denied rights enjoyed by hetrosexual couples, such as adoption and cross-national marriage....
"In 2015, veteran gay rights activist Chi Chia-wei -- who has spent 30 years fighting for marriage equality -- filed a request to the Constitutional Court asking for a ruling on an article in the island's civil code stating that marriage is between a man and a woman.... In 2017, the court ruled the law violated the constitution....
"Taiwan's vote sets it apart from other parts of Asia where LGBTQ rights have regressed.... In April, the ruler of the tiny, oil-rich kingdom of Brunei announced he would introduce death by stoning for those convicted of gay sex. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has since said the death penalty will not be imposed, although he did not repeal the law. In Indonesia ... two men accused of being gay received 87 lashes for gay sex in the country's conservative Aceh province."
Read more: https://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.com/2018/06/taiwans-top-court-legalized-same-sex.html
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May 17, 2019 - "Lawmakers in Taiwan have approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a landmark decision that makes the self-ruled island the first place in Asia to pass gay marriage legislation.
The vote came almost two years after the island's Constitutional Court ruled that the existing law -- which said marriage was between a man and a woman -- was unconstitutional. The panel of judges gave the island's parliament two years to amend or enact new laws.
"On Friday -- only a week off the two-year deadline -- lawmakers in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a bill making same-sex marriage a reality. It will go into effect on May 24.
"Although the island has a large gay community and its annual gay pride parade is the biggest in Asia, the issue of marriage equality has bitterly divided Taiwanese society. In a controversial referendum in November last year, 67% voted to reject same-sex marriage....
"Tens of thousands of people braved pouring rain Friday to demonstrate in favor of same-sex marriage outside the parliament, as lawmakers began voting on three draft bills, one tabled by the island's Cabinet -- which would ultimately prove successful -- and two watered-down rival bills tabled by conservative groups.
"The successful Cabinet bill was the only one to use the word 'marriage.' It was backed by LGBTQ groups, despite the fact it could see same-sex couples denied rights enjoyed by hetrosexual couples, such as adoption and cross-national marriage....
"In 2015, veteran gay rights activist Chi Chia-wei -- who has spent 30 years fighting for marriage equality -- filed a request to the Constitutional Court asking for a ruling on an article in the island's civil code stating that marriage is between a man and a woman.... In 2017, the court ruled the law violated the constitution....
"Taiwan's vote sets it apart from other parts of Asia where LGBTQ rights have regressed.... In April, the ruler of the tiny, oil-rich kingdom of Brunei announced he would introduce death by stoning for those convicted of gay sex. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has since said the death penalty will not be imposed, although he did not repeal the law. In Indonesia ... two men accused of being gay received 87 lashes for gay sex in the country's conservative Aceh province."
Read more: https://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.com/2018/06/taiwans-top-court-legalized-same-sex.html
'via Blog this'
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