Three opposition parties in Japan recently introduced a same-sex marriage bill, and South Korea, inspired by Taiwan's legality on same-sex marriage, held the largest gay parade in the country's history. Has this wind of same-sex marriage in Taiwan finally blown to Japan and South Korea?
When Taiwan celebrates the legalization of same-sex marriage, to what extent does same-sex marriage go in neighboring Japan and South Korea? Let's see!
Japan: Taiwan's same-sex marriage is legal, and Japan has to keep up.
On June 3, 2019, according to Mirror Weekly, three opposition parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party, proposed to the House of Representatives amendments to the Civil Code to make same-sex marriage legal, making this the first time in Japan that we can keep an eye on the progress of this matter. 《鏡週刊》
And on May 17th, after Taiwan's marriage passed, Japan's Yomiuri Shimiuri and Japan's economic news and other media have also reported the news, rolling discussions in Japan.
"The legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan is a milestone towards gender parity, and Taiwan, once colonized by Japan, became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage," said Suzuki Hyun, a professor at Meiji University in Japan, according to China Central Radio. He also said: "Japan used to think that the legality of same-sex marriage is the case in Europe and the United States, this kind of statement is no ready possible, Taiwan through the marriage law is of special significance to Japan, it is time for Japan to think about what to do." 」
The Gay Parade has always been an important initiative to promote the rights and interests of the LGBTQIA-plus communities. In 2019, the annual Tokyo Gay Parade was held on April 28th and 29th, when Taiwan also teamed up to respond, led by the Taiwan Partnership Rights Promotion Alliance and the Red Ribbon Foundation, with the theme of "Marriage Equal Rights Taiwan Solidarity", with the peer including Yu Jiawei, the partner's group of lawyers, Xu Xiuhui, and dozens of other parliamentarians, including Lin Ying Meng, Huang Jie, Qiu Weijie, and others. The parade stalls also display the history of Taiwan's gay movement over the past three decades, making it easier for the Japanese to understand how Taiwan is promoting the gay movement.
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In Japan, same-sex marriage has been discussed for a long time, but the results are still limited. In fact, japan has a same-sex partner registration system in parts of the country, such as Shibuya, Tokyo, but it is only valid in the region and cannot be applied nationwide. (Extended reading: 26 marriages worldwide!) They are campaigning for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Japan .
South Korea: Taiwan's same-sex marriage is legal, making the South Korean gay parade a grand event.
On June 1, 2019, immediately after the marriage in Taiwan bed was officially legal, South Korea held the 20th Queer Culture Festival, the largest gay parade in South Korean history, attracting about 70,000 people. According to the Korea Herald, one woman who took part in the march said she hoped South Korea would legalize same-sex marriage, as Taiwan did.
On May 17th, after Taiwan's marriage passed, Prominent South Korean singer CL took to Instagram to say congratulations. The message below is both positive and anti-polar, many people are happy to see CL statement, but also many people write down bad comments. In South Korea, few artists dare to speak out against the views of the LGBTQIA-plus community, because the issue of gays in South Korea is still not fully fermented.
Happily, The Korea Times also reported on the matter in a positive way:
Taiwan made history on May 24 with Asia's first legal gay wedding as same - couples tied the knot in jubilant and emotional scenes , the thymion of a three - decade fight for equality .
"Taiwan made history on May 24th with Asia's first legal gay wedding, and same-sex couples looked cheerful and excited. This is the result of thirty years of struggle by the gay movement. 」
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This road is not easy, in July 2018 in South Korea, the Cacer Culture Festival, only by more than 200,000 people co-signed against the call to stop holding, it shows that many people in South Korea still can not agree. South Korea still has a long way to go to legalize same-sex marriage, but there is still a long way to go.
Taiwan became a beacon of marriage in Asia.
A gust of wind from same-sex marriage in Asia formed in Taiwan and blew all over the world. From the state, the media to politicians, entertainers, some expressed support, some firmly opposed, and some continued to remain silent.
Taiwan has undoubtedly become a beacon of marriage in Asia. However, for Taiwan's internal environment, we still have to work hard, such as same-sex marriage, in the system is still not perfect cross-border marriage, step-parent adoption issues, for the external environment, we are a major milestone in the process of LGBTQIA in Asia, can be proud, can be happy, but also let us pay attention to other countries and regions LGBTQIA plus rights and interests.
When people are still looking at the wind, let us be the wind.
This was two or three years ago, when Jane Weiwei conceived the slogan in response to marriage equality. Today, this sentence still applies. When Taiwan becomes a beacon of gay movement in Asia and a winds of same-sex marriage, don't forget that there are many things that deserve our continued efforts and sustained struggle.