Same-sex marriage in Taiwan

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Taiwan since 24 May 2019, making it the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. On 24 May 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that the marriage law was unconstitutional, and that the constitutional right to equality and freedom of marriage guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry under the Constitution of the Republic of China. The ruling gave the Legislative Yuan two years to bring the law into compliance, after which registration of such marriages would come into force automatically.^[1]^[2] In November 2018, the Taiwanese electorate passed referendums to prevent recognition of same-sex marriages in the Civil Code. The government responded by confirming that it will not amend the existing marriage laws in the Civil Code, but rather prepare a separate law for same-sex couples.^[3]

On 20 February 2019, a draft bill allowing two persons of the same sex to create a "permanent union of intimate and exclusive nature for the committed purpose of managing a life together to fulfil the equal protection of the freedom of marriage" and grant them almost all the rights available to married heterosexual couples was published.^[4] The Executive Yuan passed it the following day, sending it to the Legislative Yuan for fast-tracked review.^[5] The bill was passed on 17 May,^[6] signed by President Tsai Ing-wen on 22 May and took effect on 24 May 2019.^[7]

^ Cite error: The named reference JY748-Reuters was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference JY748 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Everington was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Marriage equality bill handled well". Taipei Times (Editorial). 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
^ "Taiwan's Cabinet passes same-sex marriage bill". Taiwan Today. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
^ "Taiwan legalises same-sex marriage in first for Asia". Pink News. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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[4] "Marriage equality bill handled well". Taipei Times (Editorial). 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

[5] "Taiwan's Cabinet passes same-sex marriage bill". Taiwan Today. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.

[6] "Taiwan legalises same-sex marriage in first for Asia". Pink News. 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.

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