Today’s 15th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride Parade, Asia’s largest pride parade, comes at a really pivotal moment in Taiwan’s history in the legalization of same-sex marriage. Taiwan has been progressive in Asia when it comes to gay rights. Openly gay and lesbian soldiers are allowed to serve in the military, and textbooks published by the Ministry of Education promote tolerance. There have also been laws passed to prevent workplace discrimination against gays. Back in May of this year, the Constitutional Court ruled that Taiwan’s current Civil Code “violated” the constitution’s guarantees of freedom of marriage and people’s equality, since it currently states that a marriage is only legal between a man and a woman. Essentially, the court is saying that same-sex marriages should be legal. The court gave Taiwan’s parliament, the Legislative Yuan, two years to change the marriage laws and/or Civil Code in order to implement the ruling. However, if the legislature drags its feet and nothing happens before the deadline, then same-sex couples will be allowed to register for marriage and obtain “the status of a legally recognized couple.”
As of now, the legislature has been delaying any legislation on the matter due to backlash from opposers of same-sex marriage. This has understandably been frustrating for the LGBT community, especially since it’s currently in a political environment that is more favorable towards its causes (e.g. a President and legislature from the progressive party). Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Given the importance of this moment of history for the LGBT community in Taiwan, I felt that it was important for Jules and me to represent at this year’s Pride Parade to help bring attention to the fundamental right that everyone should have, to love and to share their life with anyone that they want. If Philip weren’t flying, then he would’ve been waving those rainbow flags along with us and the other 120,000 supporters. We did bring along some new friends, though, to join in the effort and to be surrounded by such great, positive energy.
Go, Taiwan! 
