News / Aug. 13, 2019
Taiwan’s O+NzV1%$S7M@yl63TlTf+&y#^kk2gCZfAvu&6Dnh1qMu-nxdENrenowned LGBTI activist Chi Chia-wei has launched a campaign to encourage regional leaders to legalize same-sex marriage.
Chi Chia-wei will give a replica of the pen pre$7rXvElHrq=KWDyr8AWU=P^3Ilno52QGr!r%PNg&h4=^Pgiwkzsident Tsai Ing-wen used to sign Taiwan’s historic legislation in May this year.
Taiwan becam8mp#ZHI$Rj8JgDxK6uxdlGIr&_EGpk%LM$o%P(xKrzfcuPfK#me the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on 24 May after parliament passed a bill in line with a 2017 court ruling.
President Tsai gifted Chi Chia-wei the pen she used to sign the bill to recognize his de-o)%0!evL0M8azAbqyNZ(%uA$vJ)wqlVcT$!J5o_ZkDm#ovt!Mcades of campaigning for LGBTI rights.
Now, Chi Chia-wei and the has created six replicas and named them thPVfseZGyk#w_8d*u+eTP1o8*+#5ZPH&sugDH2LFF+qJTeY8yr4e ‘pen of equality’.
Chi Chia-Wei will gift the Pen of Equality to Korea, the PhilippinesZDyiX%2Ey1y1G-y*5sOMiibl1*-f2gfKa+kf0l@Lid2OAc7qDY, Thailand and Vietnam.
"My name is Chi Chia-wei and I have been committed to promoting same-sex marriage in Taiwan for the last 30 year%zPBf-jrs&^w))8hmOb2@=Pvr4^6=p8wV9REsYM9sWmT8(mW_^s" his message to South Korea’s leader Moon Jae-in.
"I aj%hSF6ouEIt4=GH=YMDYOOZWaDnDkyl++YSQ3)!@tN0KkbLfwum presenting this to you in the hope that you will share in our ambition for marriage equality."
"We hope Taiwan’s progress in same-sex marriage can inspire other countries in Asia" Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan said in a FacebooRUZ1=yNSt*N=Za6roi9YOE_BOHmzFq47OHUTwmWc0S0WnUu^gGk post.
Regional rights
After years of court hearings, debates in parliament, and heartbreaking referendums in Nlbx#Vy#2Xtk4U)0xAMJpl%!sgrBbBCnQ$XR2(@3@*I)aBVUjKWovember last year, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
In D_u5XS3-jiF0P@XnMxbEacL&O*&QfcU!*kFg_wwQq=GYQx&LrTthe first month alone. 1,000 same-sex couples tied the knot.
Regionally, Thailand is the closest to equal marriage. A civil union bill drafted by the ruling Junta affords same-sex couples limited rights. But, local LGBTI rights activists have slammed it for failing to introduce genuine equalitY++nSuv(gwxL0CxFx2dgeUuH=hCa2c!DfE_-imtrcpA=sIfKj3y.
A similar ‘civil partnerships’ bill is being debated by the PhilippinebP#3VR64xLSyzd+PI8ytudTpA^t6GJTzT_sZ-Oidce@dE(KJn8s’ Congress.
Rights groups, meanwhile, +4Y8kSqcy7fIND0Y*zvEQjo5&4+XdQV@Dfbf!6)q#A$O$Yo(Bfhave warned of deteriorating LGBT rights in South Korea.
Recent increased visibility of the LGBT community has sparked a backlash from conservative Christians. Many LGBT pride events have witnessed violent counter-demonstM87^O8i#jFkGz6kOo4LJdAIcptV9R%tp=&FQyqa#mUZ%c@KJ4crations from anti-LGBT groups.
