Taiwan gay rights

On 24 November , Taiwanese voters were presented with five LGBT-related initiatives: to ban same-sex marriage (Question 10), to ban LGBT-inclusive sex education in schools (Question 11), to allow another type of union for same-sex couples (Question 12), to allow same-sex marriage (Question 14), and lastly to retain LGBT-inclusive sex. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Taiwan since 24 May , making it the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

LGBT rights in Taiwan have made remarkable progress and are considered the most progressive in Asia, setting a benchmark in the region. While attitudes towards transgender rights may lean more conservative, Taiwan has taken great strides in advancing key issues such as legalizing same-sex marriage, marking a historic first for Asia in May LGBT Rights in Taiwan: homosexuality, gay marriage, gay adoption, serving in the military, sexual orientation discrimination protection, changing legal gender, donating blood, age of consent, and more.

On Taiwan’s long road to legalizing same-sex marriage, LGBTQ+ rights have become a hot-button issue that both the supporting and opposing camps have mobilized to spark mainstream social discussion. On May 24, , Taiwan made international headlines as marriage equality legislation —the first of its kind in Asia—went into effect. Comprehensive parental rights were also missing from the original legislation, which only allowed same-sex couples to jointly adopt children biologically related to one partner.

Following successful legal challenges , the government subsequently granted full co-adoption rights to same-sex couples in May While this process received somewhat less domestic and international attention than the marriage equality legislation itself, the updated policy means couples no longer need to choose between marriage and parenthood —a landmark achievement that can be tied to the tireless advocacy of Taiwanese civil society.

Despite the legalization of adoption, assisted reproductive technology ART remains exclusively available to heterosexual couples, and thus inaccessible to both single individuals and same-sex partners. Furthermore, the social divides that characterized the buildup to the legalization of marriage equality have not entirely receded. In a Pew Research Center survey , 42 percent of Taiwanese respondents were opposed to same-sex marriage.

As marriage equality becomes increasingly institutionalized in Taiwan, many members of this group have turned to transphobic rhetoric in their attempt to galvanize the public.

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This has led to the establishment of organizations like No Self ID Taiwan , which claims to protect the rights of women while advancing an anti-trans agenda. The current situation reflects an overall trend in which legislative progress in Taiwan is not always matched with an equal amount of consideration when it comes to its practical implementation.

Experts have long pointed out how this manifests with regard to gender equality, such as the discrepancy between robust anti-sexual harassment legislation and informal tolerance of such behaviors. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. Mere months after a homegrown MeToo Movement that swept across Taiwan during the summer of , some commentators remained pessimistic as to the prospects for sustained social or political change, while the short-lived reckoning that transpired did not seem to have any long-term impacts on the election.

Additionally, while small-scale, negotiated policy shifts can contribute to building a more equal Taiwan, they are unlikely to make the same international splash as marriage equality—an issue that tends to attract comparatively heightened focus worldwide. This means that future policy adjustments may not provide the government with the same global reputation boost, reducing political incentives to enact meaningful change in the absence of sustained, cross-cutting pressure from Taiwanese society.

Despite these barriers, incremental changes are underway that could form a path to a more inclusive future. At the same time, the case of Taiwan demonstrates the degree to which such gains may be accompanied by new challenges, both socially and politically. Our vision is to raise awareness, deepen affinity, and create opportunities for strengthening the relationship between Taiwan and the international community.

Global Taiwan Brief. June 12, Juliet Paulson. Bryan Burack. Continue Reading. Michael Mazza. GTI is a c 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to insightful, cutting-edge, and inclusive research. Subscribe to Our Newsletter. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Website by Pronto. Tweets by globaltaiwan.