A lot is happening over in Taiwan and I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to write much about it. Recently they have been standing up to Beijing in a dramatic display of independence and defiance. Now, the Taiwan government is proposing legislation to legalize….gay marriages!?

The Taiwanese Government is preparing legislation to legitimise gay marriage.
If the new law is passed it would make Taiwan the first country in Asia to recognise marriages between people of the same sex.

The proposals are part of a Human Rights Basic Law which is due to be debated by Taiwanese legislators before the end of the year.

The proposals are part of a drive to protect basic human rights in Taiwan, according to the presidential office.

They would legalise gay marriage and allow homosexual couples to adopt children.

This is a topic that makes even the most liberal nations squirm. I know Taiwan tends to be more free-thinking than many of its Asian neighbors, but I had no idea they were ready to even consider such controversial measures. It’s not a done deal though:

But several hurdles will have to be overcome before the plans can become law. First, they will need to be approved by the cabinet where there is some opposition, as the Bill also contains controversial provisions to outlaw all forms of capital punishment. Then they would have to be approved by Taiwan’s lawmakers

Based on my experiences in Hong Kong, Singapore, the US and China, I would be truly (and happily) surprised if this were to materialize. Even if it doesn’t, it’s a dramatic step in the right direction and shows us that anything is possible when people are willing to think outside of their usual belief systems.

Link via Silt, who somehow beat me to the punch on this one.