Watch: Taiwan couples tie the knot in Asia's first same-sex marriages

Twenty couples queued to tie the knot at this registry office
Twenty couples queued to tie the knot at this registry office Copyright Reuters
By Euronews with Reuters
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Taiwan's parliament passed a bill last week that endorsed gay marriage, after years of heated debate.

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Asia's first same-sex marriages took place in Taiwan on Friday, in a development hailed by activists as a social revolution for the region.

Twenty couples queued to tie the knot at one Taipei registry office, where rainbow flags were on display and government-issued, rainbow-themed registration forms in use.

Taiwan's parliament passed a bill last week that endorsed gay marriage, although the measure could complicate President Tsai Ing-wen's bid for re-election next year.

More than 160 same-sex couples married on Friday, according to government data, after years of heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the self-ruled and democratic island.

Newlywed Huang Huan-Huan said: "I feel very, very proud because this is not an easy thing, and all the countries would say that we are an Asian country and different to western countries, but Taiwan has achieved it."

For Lin Meng-Huan, being able to get married is something that will eventually change the way Taiwanese society views the LGBT community. He said: "I think this (to be acknowledged by family members as gay) is a very difficult thing in ethnic Chinese culture, especially for men. We have been very lucky to have support from our families.

"Of course, after the new law has created a new situation, even more traditional families will be willing to try and consider that it is normal for two men to be together and enter into marriage."

Video editor • Christophe Pitiot

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