News / Oct. 02, 2019
Guzifer and Chen Shin-chi met more thv5)FQ^u7&N54+BhBTGx=XKoVPE6vRnSlvGq0Ce5sbFu0qFueHUan five years ago.
And, like many couples in the region, they closely followed Taiwan's long and winding road to becoming the first place in Asia for sam#2RU@61wvA2bJ1kAJiA#WDG6aK+U-bhZ*_B1#eIPDLHc3a$QOKe-sex marriage in May this year.
In fact, in 2017 Guzifer took a gamble and gave up his job in Macao and moved to Taiwan, antuO^_zLEUkWKfIl5*1l5l1XS4A2kkc-lA6!PYjYqW8ZtFnR-^b7icipating the pair could wed once same-sex marriage became legal.
But, on Tuesday, a district office in Taipei, once agaizpPmJcnQEmAxsTcvg#5UhG5Y8^uqdTjj*fK33vM&7Eqs*yYNlmn refused to register their marriage.
The reason? Guzifer is from Macao. And, as the territory does not recognize same-sex marriages, he alY%Blfc++VcwPWA_m%7S%kQ)OASn8e(cFboAGnrG(YLPP^G&$!iso cannot marry in Taiwan.
“It means we have been treated unfairly” GuzifetY!%WgQrp1+Nj%#G2975BI)rh81aY_yHuhuCbiGAbtZ1ISb68Jr told GagaTai.
“The situation also clearlaLra7*dE)&d2&)4oSQd7(HXj0n)w--TVmmqSs(QX8N8KVXBqF%y 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 actually caused by the incompleteness of the legislation”, he explained. Taiwan’s mx7=R$l0PQIa_QfwGuF@30Rlg_Kw6jWlOq@)xI2OJIWPnwl)tlUarriage law links transnational marriages to the laws of the foreigners’ home country.
As the dust settles on Taiwan’s landmark LGBT rights win, and the capital prepares for the region’s largest pride event later this month, activists are workinNBHO)sPT9Z)xRF5DbYrBKW9Tf%w-_ThXi%Jt^kp&Vqj5P0$dl(g to ensure equality reaches all same-sex couples in the country.
“Fight for it”
Guzifer said that after four months, he and Shin-chi are more deteS--o!qgd8E^84NJe9L%9T-ND(QsL9npAs*SB@f)P63awJ9)*6srmined 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,=xdJdgO3^sNs4e23V)Gxm-vrW7V-bQ4-gZwb8dlANDI(C=3P2j and fight for it” he said. “We have a clear direction”.
On Tuesday, the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights helped Guzifer and Shin-chi fivLYK5v129jG0#YJ9t7SqOTmdgQ5hgxU1e0Ob+CGt(mNnAYFnVkle an administrative appeal for their marriage.
The group, including activist Victoria Hsu, believes failing to recognize transnational unions is agains6uZ8JdWLnavjGsr&Gcj7%57bCxZ(6azQw*ULSXdCi6Webs)bnbt Taiwan’s constitution.
Article 46 of the Act GoveqDg(rt!zSK7)p7nDjA^GOhu$m+PogYd2aEphi8E%UQ6ZGW=d=7rning the Choice of Law in Civil Matters involving Foreign Elements, "the formation of a marriage is governed by the national laws of each party,” TAPCPR explained.
But, Article eight of the same law says this can be ignored if )L1LMLef5%rh%IWjcAQUR26b5(JJFQ4_F5dVu8#e^cx1XQe=2*it affects “good morals” in Taiwan, according to TAPCPR.
They hope that if Taipei recognizes transnational mm0VIne!qAtzp@MSz2DGI!mTCnl^U9oHZ=F4kLSj!+81PmTaegJarriages, other administrations will be quick to follow.
"The most important thing is to ensure the freedom of marriage of Taiwanese nationalsw77t0NKXhg#!mPs-o18$X-J9Ro8LX8*iFX9k#SXXUZX3@l7rfh and the protection under marriage” Guzifer explained.
