We have legalized same-sex marriage. Here is our story:
Seventeen years ago, the Netherlands made a huge step toward the full recognition of the rights of LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people] by allowing them to marry the persons they love, just like anybody else.
Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa and Sweden quickly followed in the footsteps of our Dutch friends, along with Denmark, France, the UK, New Zealand and Luxembourg. Most recently, the US, Germany, Finland and Australia — and soon Austria — joined the list of countries acknowledging that love simply is love.
Did marriage equality raise a lot of discussions in our parliaments, our courts, our societies? Yes, to some extent. Has it threatened social cohesion since then? No, quite the contrary.
By legalizing same-sex marriage, we have seen the financial, psychological and physical well-being of LGBTI people enhanced. Children of same-sex parents can now be raised by couples whose union has been supported by our institutions.
These benefits accrue to society as a whole, which has also become more open and tolerant. As a matter of fact, polls have consistently shown wide support among our citizens for same-sex marriage.
Same-sex couples are not different from opposite-sex ones. They work, pay their taxes, take responsibilities in society and take care of their children, parents and families. They have the same rights as all other citizens, including access to government services and legal protections such as inheritance or hospital visitation rights.
In a way, excluding LGBTI from marriage stigmatizes them and invites public discrimination against them. This is not what our leaders and our citizens wanted.
Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Today we commemorate the WHO’s decision, 30 years ago, to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.
Today we celebrate all the steps, legal and societal, that have been taken to defend and promote the rights of LGBTI worldwide, and the dedication of courageous activists who have made these changes happen.
As representative offices in Taiwan, we have consistently acknowledged that Taiwan stands at the forefront in Asia and in the world on LGBTI rights.
We have witnessed how Taiwan Pride has become a reference for Prides on this continent and beyond. We have seen grassroots movements and the arts industry working hard to advance equal rights for the LGBTI community.
Most importantly, we have seen the Constitutional Court [Editor’s note: the Council of Grand Justices] issuing a landmark ruling on same-sex marriage just over a year ago, which offers Taiwan a unique opportunity to show the world its commitment to human rights.
If we had to sum up our experience with marriage equality, it would be by answering one simple question: Do we want a society in which our present and next generations are truly happy?
We have realized that the answer is equally simple: Love is love, no matter who the individuals are.
All of us have the same basic needs and should enjoy the same basic rights. This includes the right to get married and live happily ever after.
Endorsed by the Austrian Office Taipei, Belgian Office Taipei, Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, Trade Council of Denmark Taipei, European Economic and Trade Office, Business Finland, French Office in Taipei, Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office in Taipei, Netherlands Trade and Investment Office, Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Business Sweden, and British Office Taipei.
Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on April 9 said that the first group of Indian workers could arrive as early as this year as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India and the India Taipei Association. Signed in February 2024, the MOU stipulates that Taipei would decide the number of migrant workers and which industries would employ them, while New Delhi would manage recruitment and training. Employment would be governed by the laws of both countries. Months after its signing, the two sides agreed that 1,000 migrant workers from India would
In recent weeks, Taiwan has witnessed a surge of public anxiety over the possible introduction of Indian migrant workers. What began as a policy signal from the Ministry of Labor quickly escalated into a broader controversy. Petitions gathered thousands of signatures within days, political figures issued strong warnings, and social media became saturated with concerns about public safety and social stability. At first glance, this appears to be a straightforward policy question: Should Taiwan introduce Indian migrant workers or not? However, this framing is misleading. The current debate is not fundamentally about India. It is about Taiwan’s labor system, its
Japan’s imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as US President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies, and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain US weapons supplies. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country’s military industrial base. Her government would formally adopt the new rules as soon as this month, three Japanese government officials told Reuters. Despite largely isolating itself from global arms markets since World War II, Japan spends enough on its own
On March 31, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs released declassified diplomatic records from 1995 that drew wide domestic media attention. One revelation stood out: North Korea had once raised the possibility of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In a meeting with visiting Chinese officials in May 1995, as then-Chinese president Jiang Zemin (江澤民) prepared for a visit to South Korea, North Korean officials objected to Beijing’s growing ties with Seoul and raised Taiwan directly. According to the newly released records, North Korean officials asked why Pyongyang should refrain from developing relations with Taiwan while China and South Korea were expanding high-level
RSS