Taiwan becomes first country in Asia to rule in favour of same-sex marriage
Two participants pose during the annual Taiwan lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride parade in Taipei on October 29, 2016.
Taiwan has become the first Asian country to order its parliament to legalise same-sex marriage.
The highest court in the land has ruled that Article 972 of the Civil Code, which states that marriage is between a man and a woman, is unconstitutional.
The parliament will now be forced to amend the laws or pass new ones to formalise the decision in favour of marriage equality.
#Taiwan rules that Article 972 of the Civil Code, which states that marriage is between a man and a woman, is unconstitutional #loveislove
— Ministry of Culture (@CulturalTaiwan) May 24, 2017
The case was brought to the court by LGBT rights campaigner Chi Chia-wei.
The long-serving gay activist attempted registering his marriage to his male partner in 2013, but was rejected.
He responded by petitioning for the case to be heard, prompting a legal struggle.
His case was helped by municipal authorities in Taipei seeking clarity over other same-sex marriage requests.
Speaking to AFP before the ruling, Chi said he was “100 percent confident” that the court would rule in favour of same-sex marriage.
He urged a quick change in the process of marrying and said same-sex couples should be allowed to marry immediately.
The Committee in Taiwan’s Legislature passed an amendment to include same-sex marriage in the Civil Code of the country on 26 December.
The passage of the amendment was the first step to legalising same-sex marriage.
The issue of same-sex marriage has been widely and hotly debated in the country over the past year.
Hundreds of people took to the streets in March to protest the proposed changes in marriage laws.
The protest which was held in Taipei was organised in association with the Rescue Taiwan Hope Alliance, a homophobic group working to prevent the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
Protesters held signs showing pro-LGBT politicians as scorpions, snakes and tarantulas.
Religious groups have also been at the forefront of opposing to the shift towards equality.
