Tag Archives: Taiwan

Sexual + Gender Minorities

Taiwan News | LGBT

High court opens door to marriage equality in Taiwan
  • The Council of Grand Justices ruled that the section of the Taiwanese Civil Code banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
  • The decision compels the government to revise the Code in accordance with the ruling, though it leaves open the question as to how that will be done.
  • Once legally enshrined, the ruling will make Taiwan the first Asian country to secure marriage equality for its LGBT citizens.
Read

“Same-sex Marriage: Marriage restrictions ‘unconstitutional’” (The Taipei Times | May 2017)

“Taiwan Is Set To Become The First Asian Country To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage” (BuzzFeed News | May 2017)

“Court Ruling Could Make Taiwan First Place in Asia to Legalize Gay Marriage” (The New York Times | May 2017)

(Image Credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters, via The New York Times)

Sexual + Gender Minorities

Taiwan News | LGBT

Taiwan inches closer to becoming first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage
  • Three separate bills have begun moving through the Taiwanese legislative process to extend family and partnership rights to same-sex couples in the country, with advocates cautiously optimistic for passage in the spring 2017 legislative session.
  • At the municipal level, multiple cities—including Taipei—have recognized same-sex couples and families through “partnership cards,” a sign of growing acceptance in the island nation.
  • Marriage equality and adoption rights are currently favored by both the ruling and major opposition party along with a growing share of the Taiwanese population, although public opposition by religious and conservative groups remains strong.

Read more:
“Taiwan May Be First in Asia to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage” (The New York Times)
“Taiwan is on the verge of becoming the first Asian country with marriage equality” (The Washington Post)
“10,000 rally at Legislature against gay marriage” (The China Post)

(Image Credit: Ritchie B. Tongo/European Pressphoto Agency, via The New York Times)

Gender

Taiwan News | Women

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Taiwan elects first female president in significant victory
  • Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Tsai Ing-wen became the nation’s first woman elected to the executive office after securing just over 56% of the vote.
  • The DPP unseated the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the 8-year incumbent party, as questions about the country’s relationship to China, which doesn’t recognize its sovereignty, grow.
  • Analysts view Tsai’s election as an attempt by voters to turn around the country’s struggling economy and reexamine the last administration’s pro-China policies, concerning China’s political leaders.

“The results today tell me that the people want to see a government more willing to listen to the people, a government that is more transparent and accountable, and a government that is more capable of leading us past our current challenges and taking care of those in need.”

Read more:
“Madam President” (The Taipei Times)
“Taiwan Opposition Wins Presidency, Parliament in Rout of Ruling KMT” (Radio Free Asia)
“Taiwan elects first female president” (The Guardian)

(Image Credit: CNA, via The Taipei Times)

Sexual + Gender Minorities

Taiwan Feature | LGBT

Video

Proud in Taiwan

Taiwan celebrated Pride with its 13th-annual Pride parade, Asia’s largest. Tens of thousands descended upon the streets of Taipei from around the world to celebrate LGBT individuals and culture on an island notable for its LGBT acceptance.

View the Wall Street Journal video on YouTube.

Nationality + Migration, Race + Color + Ethnicity

China News | Ethnic Minorities

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China includes ethnic Han for first time in national multicultural athletic festival
  • The National Traditional Games for Ethnic Minorities opened on Sunday, with 6,240 athletes from 31 provinces and ethnic groups competing in traditional sports.
  • Han participants were allowed for the first time limited participation with ethnic minorities including Huis, Zhuangs, Uyghurs, Yis, and Miaos and representation from Mongolia, Tibet, and Taiwan.
  • The 17 competitive events in the quadrennial festival include camel ball, bamboo drifting, dragon boat racing, and stilt-running.

Read the full story at the South China Morning Post.

(Image Credit: Xinhua News Agency, via the South China Morning Post)

Sexual + Gender Minorities
Taipei becomes second Taiwanese city to recognize same-sex partnerships
  • The registration is the gateway for partners to represent each other in hospital, court, and police institutions in the Taiwanese capital.
  • Couples still lack inheritance rights and identification via household registration and ID cards.
  • Kaohsiung became the first city in Taiwan to recognize same-sex partnerships in May.

More on this story at Gay Star News.

(Image Credit: Facebook photo, via Gay Star News)