Last week Taiwan made history as it became the first Asian nation to legalise same-sex marriage, in a legislative vote that LGBTQI+ activists have advocated for almost two decades.
Hundreds of same-sex couples rushed to get married on Friday, the first day that the landmark decision took effect.
Taiwan’s same-sex couples have wasted no time after the legalisation of same-sex marriage, as hundreds of couples flooded registry centres on the first day that the new law came into effect.
A household registry office in Taipei was flooded with life and colour on Friday, as couples packed into the office to seize their earliest opportunity to tie the knot. After decades of campaigning for LGBTQI+ rights, over 500 same-sex couples registered their marriages on Friday.
On Saturday evening, Taiwanese activists hosted more than 1000 people at a wedding banquet to celebrate some of the first legally recognised same-sex marriages on the island. The event included a joint wedding for about 20 couples and stage performances, including a drag act.
This marks a significant step for Taiwan, however “the legalisation of marriage is only the first step”, according to 48-year-old novelist Chen Hsue, who has lived with her partner for more than 10 years. She stated “In the future, through this legalisation, I hope LGBT+ people could be accepted as ordinary people by Taiwanese society.”
