In a landmark decision today, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalise same sex marriage. The historic win, confirmed on 17 May which marks IDAHOT (the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia), marks the conclusion of a long-fought battle for equality in Taiwan. President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted her support for the move earlier in the day: “Today, we have a chance to make history and show the world that progressive values can take root in an east Asian society. Today, we can show the world that #LoveWins”.
At Community Business, we applaud this bold decision and hope that this signals the winds of change for LGBT+ equality in Asia. Significant victories over the last 18 months – including the QT case in Hong Kong and the repeal of Section 377 in India – indicate that Asian societies are putting equal rights and inclusion on the agenda. Across the region, pressure is mounting from both businesses and societies to enshrine LGBT+ protection and equality in law. We hope to see other governments follow suit and offer equal rights to all their citizens in the near future. #Time4ChangeHK