Guzifer and Chen Shin-chi met more than five years ag$Fx09MMHS&!-gmHFMZ39a5dWc+n#*Mk$ZH6ZGsEDuTTpz=)^L$o.

And, like many couples in the region, they closely followed Taiwan's long and winding road to becoming the first place in Asia for same-sex marriage i86+NKN0k6OF9T1(uV9SPSO!nCwY#us6H%xP7gRv*ZRAKKImpNbn May this year.

In fact, in 2017 Guzifer took a gamble and gave up his job in Macao and moved to Taiwan, anticipating the pair could wed oj44iB#72*O44pPaMF$%y!&HPCffC#[email protected]&wx^BA^opwwJ0ho4nce same-sex marriage became legal.

But, on Tuesday, a district office in Taipei, once again refused tzMV(%[email protected]*c5gg3*W+sBqnXUnQMeJgr^#5%na9o register their marriage.

The reason? Guzifer is from Macao. And, as the territory does not recognize same-sex marriages, he also cannot marry in Taiwan.

“It means we have been treated unfairly” GuziAOu^sVqN$s!pta5=(=FEcgewOOfew#EQ%5kGb*rJzA+aQ&=wJtfer told GagaTai.

“The situation ajvJA+EA-JuDaJzv6YTb3v*18$fLfLtytriaYCvu^RV7syw#_rRlso clearly violates the spirit of the No. 748 ruling”, he said, referring to the May 2017 court ruling that said the Civil Code was unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples marriage rights.

"This injustice is actuax7&rysLY&yK2N_%MIHprZ%zOHHakdFvkH4BPgFkA)#kPVyCR2Elly caused by the incompleteness of the legislation”, he explained. Taiwan’s marriage law links transnational marriages to the laws of the foreigners’ home country.

As the dust settles on Taiwan’s landmark LGBT rightsmbwji-L!6VD8lN41ZtkPQhH1o5T=1#*^AJV+(jQhS8([email protected]^EHr win, and the capital prepares for the region’s largest pride event later this month, activists are working to ensure equality reaches all same-sex couples in the country.

“Fight for it”

Guzifer said that after four monthdWFFoa)0b&$)dHTq-hXRzUQ666npjnK#J09pajo6jCRffnx10%s, he and Shin-chi are more determined than in May and ready to push for equality.

“We know that we can work hard step by step, just like the brother of the [LGBT] family, and fight for it” he said. “We have a clear direction”.

On Tuesda3QaU$s*4_PGarCpByS75m9VeaZO1AE1ezCVJ)[email protected]*GKFlN(y, the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights helped Guzifer and Shin-chi file an administrative appeal for their marriage.

The group, including%[email protected]+3E38W(g*+s418jMQVNN(oY2ae)OYffS4+PvAf activist Victoria Hsu, believes failing to recognize transnational unions is against Taiwan’s constitution.

Article 46 of the [email protected][email protected]_%[email protected]+&%[email protected]Act Governing the Choice of Law in Civil Matters involving Foreign Elements, "the formation of a marriage is governed by the national laws of each party,” TAPCPR explained.

But, Article eight of the same law says this can be vU&pl=uYyk^s*Dd9x$JIc4CRNMkAfo&PaGCs9cH09q#VCII7DOignored if it affects “good morals” in Taiwan, according to TAPCPR.

They hope that if Taipei recognizes transnational marriages, other admFCi$DkE%3)+)SMEM^CZBkv_kcNtc%iHtBwa=hQKsvDUyyVB4vKinistrations will be quick to follow.

"The most important thing is to ensure the freedom of marriage of Taiwanese nad%Xy3^C%jLJ9JX6m=%ys*5=Bfbz$xb#[email protected]&5tv)tionals and the protection under marriage” Guzifer explained.