Same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time

There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman. Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, but they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children. 

Marriage has indeed evolved over time in France and it's time for Taiwan to follow suit. By further opening up marriage to same-sex couples, we believe that it will strengthen, not weaken, the institution and give more equal rights to all citizens.

In the words of Ed Miliband, the leader of the UK opposition Labour Party, we should all support equal marriage for a very simple reason: “The person you love should determine the rights you have.”

Without a doubt, promoting same-sex marriage is right thing to do at the right time. 

新聞小秘書︰全球現有11國同性婚合法

目前全球共有11個國家將同性婚姻合法化，主要集中在歐洲，包括荷蘭、比利時、西班牙、加拿大、南非、挪 威、瑞典、葡萄牙、冰島、阿根廷、丹麥等，法國國會也即將通過同性婚姻法案。此外，全球有19個國家及4個國內司法區域承認「民事結合」，在權利及義務上 與傳統婚姻具有同等法律地位，但不稱為「婚姻」。荷蘭在2001年成為第一個允許同性婚姻的國家，包括允許同性伴侶領養小孩。（資料來源：綜合外電、維基 百科／整理：國際新聞中心）There isn't much to be said of “don't ask, don't tell” in the workplace. A person's sexuality is about as relevant to his or her ability to carry out a job as is whether he or she eats Coco Pops or Special K for breakfast. We all agree that sexual orientation deserves privacy, though in practice, it is not always up to the person himself or herself to choose whether to disclose or not.

If you decide to marry and start a family, for instance, the legal recognition of your marital status and protection for your spouse and children's rights is conditional on your sexual orientation. That is wrong. Gay rights are already included under Taiwan's basic human rights principles, like stated in Article 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of China, which states: “all citizens of the R.O.C., irrespective of sex, religion, race, class, or party affiliation, shall be equal before the law.”

Yet, a Taiwanese gay couple recently gave up the fight for such constitutional rights after the ruling on a controversial case against Taipei City authorities' refusal to register their marriage was delayed for a second time by the Taipei High Administrative Court (臺北高等行政法院). In response to death threats and offensive comments on their Facebook page, Nelson Chen (陳敬學) and his partner Kao Chih-wei (高治瑋) said they withdrew their complaint and expressed their dismay over the country's judiciary system.

Although we understand their concerns, we still hope that Taiwan will follow in the footsteps of the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina and France to give homosexuals the same stability, security and dignity brought by marriage to straight couples. 

The case for same-sex marriage in Taiwan is not a hopeless case yet. If this lawsuit was filed 10 years ago, the judge would simply have turned down their request immediately, without even taking the specifics of the claim into consideration. The fact that the judges want to seek a constitutional interpretation shows that they have more open minds on the issue.

Surveys cited by Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (台灣同志家庭權益促進會) show that more than 50 percent of the public support legalizing same-sex marriage, and the support rate rises to more than 70 percent among respondents under the age of 30. These figures on legalizing gay marriages are in-line with the growing popularity of Taiwan's Gay Pride event. As the annual festival marked its 10th edition last year, more than 50,000 gays and lesbians and their supporters marched in Taiwan to push for gay rights.

Just four days ago, France approved the most important article in a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure, approved by a 249-to-97 vote, will redefine marriage as an