News / Aug. 13, 2019
Taiwan’s renowned LGBTI activist Chi Chia-wei has launched a campaign to encourage regi2giJGl!0h*L3((Qzuz4#ZA9e-)!VQ$QXNI))jS1CuX4oK!naalonal leaders to legalize same-sex marriage.
Chi Chia-wei will give a replica of the pen president Tsai Ing-wen used to sign Taiwan’s historic legislation in May this year3bnC%8^vZa&JAwPMiOrfZYHRMSaKWoCaCj&IQCe*q40$#zp%s$.
Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on 24 May after p$4!fgx57z08(KamKXL5@5gWaJcw-s+b*0#2JerDw2*nfz5NJSCarliament passed a bill in line with a 2017 court ruling.
President Tsai gifted Chi Chia-wei the pen she used to sign the bill to recognize his decades of campaigning f%j7tU+Vu6j=PaAY!Sxq+MKTLnJRXVzk@p6cxnH5uqq7_5qT19)or LGBTI rights.
Now, Chi Chia-wei and the has crHTFL!pCoFt%ip)Y3)t4Mf#9Hl7Jf6s(!hUZ!FUxQYF^QEUpkoIeated six replicas and named them the ‘pen of equality’.
Chi Chia-Wei will gift the Pen of Equality to Korea, the Philippines, Thailandd!i@ZAwVSHKOJAZ(B%oCaDW$-wZ$QQA^0R#e)d-#Z8g5x30p%L and Vietnam.
"My name is CIUHXiUo*6cDZYQw+z@RDtrvA7kxLI#%H=*HT7oZO-ocig$*=SLhi Chia-wei and I have been committed to promoting same-sex marriage in Taiwan for the last 30 years" his message to South Korea’s leader Moon Jae-in.
"I am presenting this to you in the hope that you will share in ourNdTfOe+L(WA7LNEylML%6M4f-4JSK2+oY1KmK5eh@V-98@rJQ$ ambition for marriage equality."
"We hope Taiwan’s progress in same-sex marriage can inspire other countries in Asia" Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan said in a FacebookvGQNWzk4KfVHNrCU=Hy7@d#-cl2HTjwO=^A3B!p74*u%Cd02(* post.
Regional rights
After years of court hearings, debates in paMbA4Of$dlJGcK4Az_USyo%jP6Cgonh9#YUQMio&a2ZHNdO2%+trliament, and heartbreaking referendums in November last year, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
In the first month a$O9Mmjpmc+xeNQ1MOMAs-fi#1a+i-8w(hUrBwweAnee-O7tZCblone. 1,000 same-sex couples tied the knot.
Regionally, Thailand is the closest to equal marriage. A civil union bill d*7z^KomJe-V5l@wrGm3Mg-tWnSD=_5Ryz^&o$gcBYbRX)NwFw(rafted by the ruling Junta affords same-sex couples limited rights. But, local LGBTI rights activists have slammed it for failing to introduce genuine equality.
A similar ‘civil partnerships’ bill is being debated by the PhilippibS58tEVv#%wU4sX7%Eku$WyZZ6X)dGIv)Wa%wtO5*5h!_QPUxDnes’ Congress.
Rights groups, meanwhile, have warned of deteriorating LGBT rights in@_kdM3cE#8(ciskoU$$X$=cB^rAAw*6)8nQ@MI$XX2pa9DKblK South Korea.
Recent increased visibqCNk4#FzXBcrAG8TiLrioS66ZY^p(PXDL8Q(+Hgm@$8co7Kk$Zility of the LGBT community has sparked a backlash from conservative Christians. Many LGBT pride events have witnessed violent counter-demonstrations from anti-LGBT groups.
