LOVE IS LOVE

Taiwan Celebrates Asia’s First Legal Same-Sex Marriages

“I am extremely proud of my country Taiwan,” said one newly married man through tears of joy as hundreds tied the knot Friday.

Scenes of love and celebration have broken out across Taiwan after more than 300 couples made history by tying the knot in the first legal same-sex marriages ever to happen in Asia. Taiwan’s parliament passed a bill last week that legalized same-sex marriage—the first legislature in Asia to do so. Reuters reports at least 360 same-sex couples married Friday. Rainbow flags were draped over registration offices where the couples queued up en masse to be part of the social revolution. “I feel very lucky that I can say this out loud to everyone: I am gay and I am getting married,” said Shane Lin, 31, who was one of the first to make it official at a Taipei office. “I am extremely proud of my country Taiwan,” he added in tears. Chi Chia-wei, a leading gay-rights activist, said: “I hope Taiwan’s democracy and human rights could have a ripple effect on other countries in Asia.”