Same-sex marriage in Taiwan

Same-sex marriage in Taiwan

Same-sex marriage in Taiwan started on May 24, 2019. This made Taiwan the first place in Asia to let same-sex couples marry.

In 2017, an important court in Taiwan said it was unfair not to let same-sex couples marry. They said the law needed to change so everyone could marry the person they loved, no matter if they were a boy or a girl. Because of this decision, same-sex couples could get married starting in May 2019.

In 2019, the government made a new law. This law let same-sex couples have many of the same rights as married couples. The president, Tsai Ing-wen, signed this law on May 24, 2019. Since then, more changes have been made. For example, by 2023, same-sex couples in Taiwan could also adopt children together.

Same-sex couples in Taiwan can also register their relationship through a special “partnership registration” in many cities and counties. This helps partners make certain decisions for each other, like giving consent for medical treatments. This registration started in many places between 2015 and 2017. After same-sex marriage became legal, partnership registration was not needed for local couples anymore, but it stayed an option for some couples from other countries.

Same-sex marriage in Taiwan is important because it shows how the country cares about fairness and equal rights for everyone. Many people in Taiwan support same-sex marriage, especially younger people and women. Over the years, more and more people in Taiwan have come to accept and support same-sex couples.