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Taiwan is considered one of the most progressive societies in Asia in terms of the achievements of the gay rights movement. The island became the first in the region to legalize same-sex marriages in May 2019 after fierce political battles.
At an open-air ceremony at a military base in northern Taoyuan County, a parade of nearly 200 couples took place first, followed by wedding vows.
Among the couples were two soldiers and their civil partners. This was the first time that military forces that regularly held mass weddings for their members married same-sex couples.
“It is a big step forward for the military,” Lieutenant Chen Ying-hsuan, dressed in military uniform, told reporters.
“I hope that more same-sex couples will dare to go public. The army is open and we are all equal in the face of love, ”added the 27-year-old.
“Our love is the same as that of any heterosexual couple,” said his 26-year-old girlfriend Li Lichen, dressed in a traditional white dress, beaming with joy.
“We are here today, waiting for more same-sex couples to attend other (mass weddings),” he said.
Major Wang Yi, 36, and her partner Yumi Meng held rainbow-colored flags and posed with their loved ones for photos near the military armor.
“It’s great to see such progress in the military,” said Yumi Meng, 37, adding that she was “proud” that his wife was serving in the military.
LGBT parades and prayer breakfasts
Photos of both couples were widely circulated on the internet after they were posted to a military Facebook account earlier this week. They were followed by numerous congratulatory messages from couples in Taiwan and beyond.
Three couples had to attend a mass wedding hosted by the Navy and Air Force last year, but they changed their plans, attracting a lot of media interest.
Taiwan, ruled by the authoritarian regime of former island governor Chiang Kai-shek, has become one of Asia’s most important liberal democracies in recent decades.
He has made significant progress in the area of gay rights over the past decade. Every year the island hosts the largest gay parade on the continent.
Last year, Taiwan went down in history by becoming the first in the region to legalize same-sex marriage after parliament passed a same-sex marriage law.
Since the law came into force in Taiwan, more than 4,000 people have established their relationship. couples.
There will be an annual gay parade on the island on Saturday. Crowds of people are expected to come to Taiwan, one of the few places in the world to deal with a coronavirus pandemic.
However, the issue of homosexual freedoms generates great divisions in society, especially between conservative religious groups and older generations.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen recently received criticism on her social media accounts from some members of the Christian community, urging people to join this year’s gay parade.
Following this invitation, for the first time in about 20 years, the religious breakfast organized by religious groups, to which the President of Taiwan is usually invited, was canceled.
Tsai Ing-wen, who supports gay rights, supports gay rights, and did not shy away from political risk in her day advocating equality for same-sex couples.
However, the risk was worth it and in January he won a landslide victory in the elections, securing the next term.
Taiwan’s LGBT group already held a smaller parade this year in June, Pride Parade Month, in solidarity with gay communities around the world who were unable to take to the streets in droves due to the pandemic.
While the law that legitimizes gay marriage has been considered a great victory for the LGBT community in Taiwan, gay couples still face limitations that straight families do not have. They are not allowed to adopt children or marry abroad.
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