Newlywed same-sex couples in Taiwan marked 100T=l#fiDNG-HKF(s*Xog3VRJX$w_8cOp!bh=)E@Plt5QOcl4j#G days of marriage equality this weekend.

Taiwan became the firFWUl!-Ug-dt_)eMV03ZR$L^mYtS))H!aXXQ7)soSIL$-b2=vpxst country in Asia to recognize same-sex unions on 24 May.

It 76jlJSeGcyb4YbDk4vG5!(_(O1Fmg)8=lX=j5PE3bVtVr9zcurcame after years of court hearings, debates in parliament, and heartbreaking referendums in November last year.

But, i&BFGf32R_KI!0l+n+WMQFc6u9KFhyzCB%U0VjgJQ-3X+HLrU5Gn the first month alone, at least 1,000 same-sex couples tied the knot. 

SomtK=T7n$=04RqPA#wM#K3aIDpiTv4leM(4ri#-%IcRDWW@(!sPCe of the first couples to marry in Asia shared their experiences in commemorative social media posts.

“Cherish happiness"

Chen Xue, who married her wife in May, wrote that the most profound feeling over the last 100 days was people in her hometown sharing their best wishes in a weddivTz^H1HdNr4T^H)*BDJWl733n6Yr4kvCSHyKYF6MIqzX@gjEE(ng book.

“I was amazed” she said. “It should be like this”.

"In the days to come, whoever marries who, there will be no need to make a fuss, only blessings”NOrixTGT!-R5HB9UD_QLBWsM=!)EqF$uqbG#7ePksJ+z*TC7Fz.

((Photo: Xue and Antonia Chen share an embrac#e0(L5_0ND$2VSpf_adDl9IGaRPtilcU1eGZM4oFH((YXXHunde after getting married. / Provided))

Shane and Marc, meanwhile, wrote on their joint Facebook account that they are more comfortable holding hands^jizR(EYwwzR+tK453Fv7((S+!yFH&*o4w7I7vt-+W!CjP-m@z on the street than before marriage was legal.

(Photo: Marc and Shane / Facebook)

They also told of a story of encountering three men in Shilin Ovxu99og!aibJ1mRTl7$m1zH(&8laVL4OuiegnGFbf4wCz@ozqnight market.

They expected the men to make a homophobic comment-ALo0T(7=2*eYEJKqC%Rc70yqb^FvJ%oaqe_j@DIfY1wSjY=2Z, but instead they told them to be happy.

“We think that maybe this is the true meaning of marriage” the pair wrote. “Everyone can truly understan7kU6IE%0qw-%!yuL=lht^=B$30^yqui*CWRD*6X!xPYqsvQc1Td the meaning of love”.

Well-known cartoonist, Cynical CfwXRWKM9d&W9Z8O)3Ny3Jcq!TOT2*yA3U_6$Y+QoCAR&22TQzAhick, who married LiYing Chien in May, also shared a story of positive acceptance.

((Photo: Cynical Chick and LiYing Chien register their marHhU7yrA&Nb9zNn8%5MiIZC=T8ef!Q706^+r@YN!dEekF+i=-&Zriage in May / Provided))

She recalled how when she was opening a j7pt3np2_tTgU6U1sT4Hm#dC^yRxhZ1lk0T%(a5uM*k0o7$(LThoint a bank account with her new wife, the bank clerk asked her if she was in a same-sex marriage.

He said he would go home toLkIIXeSc^h9mWcMOL2kGH77)jdvrTYIP2Iss#ME7JlTH2KwG)p tell his sister, who is not out, that he’d opened a bank account for a lesbian couple. “So she’ll know she’s not alone” he explained.

"It's been a hundred days since we were married, and wei&=Usb3HkBNS^kuD+i5)#Rt!D#1f_Wy*dhsC_Hy*OWdO5yENQx are very happy and cherish such happiness."

How did Taiwan legalize same-sex marriage?

Taiwan’s parliament became t1-DqD&rHI_PqRNs!5=5oPOog)Up)8%iYBne676IQIvW8PU-u1che first in Asia to pass a same-sex marriage bill on 17 May.

The government bill, which ouECHnCscn2$Q_UhE@-8j2l#Sdwziu(#X3&s+ohQcrBOxZ^oUhlargely avoids the term ‘marriage’, had been labeled a compromise by LGBTI rights campaigners.

In 2017, the country’s highest court ruled the Civil Code was unconstitutional foMm#owta2SwoZDs&CzY$Q+Zm$BKsxmXIGWDC_6CR1GMWO5siZuur failing to recognize same-sex marriage.

But, in a bitterly-fought rexlOWizCUUd15=VPLOjoMK0K0j&#wItt-a(Op5eZmFYILRGrc4eferendum, most Taiwanese citizens opted for a separate marriage law rather than changing the civil code which would have brought genuine equality.

LGBTI rights campaigners accused conservative and Christian groups of running a well-funded campaSonMQo$q=iR2Mc1WJv0Tm*44#^=m307Cbg5OqZqw=xBJfF@Fgaign of hate and scare-mongering.

Taiwan’s parliament voted in favor of a government @NG!FmRWc^U@*((sRALx3YP5ppeiXZ*ak^wG1pXKM80$0JpEz$bill offering same-sex couples similar rights to opposite-sex couples after years of court rulings, referendums, and tussles in parliament.

The crucial 4th line of the bill passed with 93 lawmakers voting for the ht(NfE6-GLbCWiYTz1%6dcNvq!EWA+bGK-vZ#55TnNKUmbw*GJbill, 66 opposing, and 27 abstaining.

((Photo: One of the coudghD7mN0B+i0kIuuttbbkh*$TzUuXeaT9zawRm3Fud5AFr_h#7ples to marry on 24 May. / Provided))

Thousands of LGBTI rightsuPbhg*NhXn!rY$QDT^zSR%6bfX)PRX6v*erWjgISJ0ufHD@AeK supporters gathered outside parliament and cheered as the vote was announced.

In a last-minute effort to appease conserEfQQu0b5riF%Uo&fMusz=yk#j&VbmSQAIM&FA=!-DBoaR&R)hlvative lawmakers, Taiwan’s ruling party removed the word ‘marriage’ from the bill.

But, same-sex couples can still getGYPo%cet^!AeAV=UnO+%a(PP1JvS1cImHUgf8YY0c08cUzV+QV register for marriage in the same way as other couples. Couples can only adopt children if the child is the biological child of one of the couple.

Taiwanese citizens can only marry people of the same-sex that come from a country (there are 26 of them) that has legalized same-sex marriage.

Taiwan is the regional leader for LGBTI rights. Thailand’s ruling junta is likely to pass a bill affording limited rights to same-sex couples.