With only one legislative session remaining before next year’s election, time is running out to pass a marriage equality bill
Taipei Times
Date: Jul 26, 2015
By: Eddy Chang / Staff reporter
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community was ecstatic after the US
Gay rights pioneer Chi Chia-wei waves a rainbow flag during a rally calling for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taipei on July 11. Photo: EPA
Supreme Court issued a historic ruling supporting marriage equality last month. Rainbows quickly swept across social media, as an estimated 26 million Facebook users changed their profile pictures with a rainbow filter, turning colorful pictures into powerful statements.
Taiwan’s three presidential candidates also praised the landmark ruling. Independent presidential candidate Shih Ming-te (施明德) expressed his full support, promising to legalize same-sex marriage if he is elected president next year, while Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) didn’t make any concrete commitments.
“The ruling shows respect for differences in US society… With more dialogue and communication, true equality will come someday,” Hung said.
Tsai’s comment was almost identical, stressing that Taiwan should “reduce social division through rational dialogue.” Their statements were polite but vague. [FULL STORY]
