Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/20
By: Yu Hsiao-han and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 20 (CNA) A supporter of same-sex marriage denounced Tuesday a referendum proposal to regulate same-sex marriage with a new law drafted specifically for that purpose as discriminatory and described excluding same-sex couples from Taiwan’s Civil Code as “racism.”

Pan Tien-ching (潘天慶), a member of the legal group working with the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, made the statement at a public forum to debate the referendum proposal attended by supporters and opponents.

The referendum, which will be held alongside local government elections on Nov. 24, asks eligible voters: “Do you agree to types of unions, other than those stated in the marriage regulations in the Civil Code, to protect the rights of same-sex couples who live together permanently?”

The referendum was proposed by Tseng Hsien-ying (曾獻瑩), president of the Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation (ANGH). The group advocates maintaining the definition of marriage as it currently exists in the Civil Code. It proposed the referendum to determine whether there should be a separate law for same-sex couples.    [FULL  STORY]