Thousands of same-sex marriage supporters take to the streets in Taipei amid new law proposal

Record ID: 77157

  • Title: Thousands of same-sex marriage supporters take to the streets in Taipei amid new law proposal
  • Date: 28th November 2016
  • Summary: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (NOVEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SUPPORTERS SITTING ON STREET NEXT TO TAIWAN PARLIAMENT PROTESTERS CHEERING PROTESTER WAVING RAINBOW FLAG SPEAKERS ON STAGE PROTESTER HOLDING UP POSTER READING (English): "LOVE IS LOVE TAIWAN" AND SHOUTING 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT FRANCIS LAI CHEERING AND APPLAUDING RAINBOW FLAG IN LAI'S LAP (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT FRANCIS LAI SAYING: "Equality is really very important and I hope that the government stops cheating us, giving us so-called false equality. And, like I said, gays are not different at all, there is no need to establish a special law. They are included in the civil code, and to establish a special law (for them) is a kind of discrimination. It is a form of labelling. There is no need for that." POSTER READING (Chinese): "THERE CAN BE NO DISCOUNTING OF HUMAN RIGHTS, DON'T USE SPECIAL LAWS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS" (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 26-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER JEFFREY LEE SAYING: "I think that maybe we are still very young, marriage is still a relatively remote thing for us. But I think this (marriage equality) is a kind of basic protection for our living situation. If (we) marry in the future, if there is an opportunity to get married, I hope that this country can cease any discrimination and prejudice against us, so that we can legitimately come out and say to everyone that we are homosexuals and that we are the same as normal people, the same as heterosexuals. We are not different." PUBLIC HEARING IN PARLIAMENT IN PROGRESS LEGISLATOR YU MEI-NU TALKING ON PHONE PORTRAIT OF FOUNDING FATHER OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA SUN YAT-SEN LEGISLATOR YU MEI-NU WALKING IN CORRIDOR (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) LEGISLATOR YU MEI-NU SAYING: "Today we are discussing whether we should amend the civil code or if we should amend a special law, formulate a special law. In case of formulating a special law, it involves (discussion about) if this should be a same-sex marriage law or a same-sex partnership law. Of course everyone still expresses their own opinions. After the public hearing today finishes, of course we won't immediately start the review of the respective paragraphs (of the law), we will arrange this for December. Of course we hope that in between now and then there can be more communication and coordination between everyone." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING UP PAPER FACES OF U.S. TALK SHOW HOST ELLEN DEGENERES
  • Embargoed: 13th December 2016 09:14
  • Keywords: Taiwan same-sex marriage Taipei LGBT protest supporters parliament
  • Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Country: Taiwan
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ACY8N9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thousands of protesters in favour of same-sex marriage took to the streets in Taipei on Monday (November 28) amid a public hearing in Taiwan's parliament regarding an initiative to legalise gay marriage.
    Taiwanese lawmakers had proposed to amend the country's civil code to allow for same-sex marriage, an initiative that was met with opposition both within the public and political circles.
    As a response to this criticism, a group of lawmakers proposed to instead formulate a special law to regulate unions between same-sex couples, either in the form of marriage or registered partnership.
    According to local media, more than 3,000 supporters of marriage equality protested outside of Taiwan's parliament on Monday to voice their opposition against establishing a special law, something the LGBT community views as yet another form of discrimination.
    "Equality is really very important and I hope that the government stops cheating us, giving us so-called false equality. And, like I said, gays are not different at all, there is no need to establish a special law. They are included in the civil code, and to establish a special law (for them) is a kind of discrimination. It is a form of labelling. There is no need for that," said 18-year-old university student Francis Lai.
    Jeffrey Lee, who attended the protest with his boyfriend, said that this law initiative is not only about marriage equality.
    "I think that maybe we are still very young, marriage is still a relatively remote thing for us. But I think this (marriage equality) is a kind of basic protection for our living situation. If (we) marry in the future, if there is an opportunity to get married, I hope that this country can cease any discrimination and prejudice against us, so that we can legitimately come out and say to everyone that we are homosexuals and that we are the same as normal people, the same as heterosexuals. We are not different," he said.
    Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Mei-nu, who is one of the driving forces behind the efforts to amend Taiwan's civil code, said that a revision of the actual law is still some time away.
    "Today we are discussing whether we should amend the civil code or if we should amend a special law, formulate a special law. In case of formulating a special law, it involves (discussion about) if this should be a same-sex marriage law or a same-sex partnership law. Of course everyone still expresses their own opinions. After the public hearing today finishes, of course we won't immediately start the review of the respective paragraphs (of the law), we will arrange this for December. Of course we hope that in between now and then there can be more communication and coordination between everyone," she told Reuters.
    Taiwan is regarded to be among the most LGBT-friendly places in Asia, annually hosting the biggest gay pride event in the region with tens of thousands of participants from throughout Asia.
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