Taiwan government to study same-sex marriage in Asia | Gay Star News

Ministry of Justice commission study to attitudes to same-sex marriage in Asia

Taiwan Presidential Office Building

Taiwan's Ministry of Justice will commission studies into attitudes towards same-sex marriage in Asian cultures as part of research looking into legalizing gay marriage on the island nation.

Chung Jui-lan, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Justice's department of legal affairs said they wanted to enlist academics to study Asian attitudes to same-sex unions. The decision was made following complaints that a prior study only looked at Germany, France and Canada, Taipei Times reports.

Taiwan's Ministry of Justice are currently examining whether to change their civil code to accept same-sex marriage or to legislate for civil partnerships.

Separately a gay couple are suing the city of Taipei to get them to recognize their relationship. A ruling is expected at a court hearing tomorrow.

Also pressure group Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) is working towards collecting a million signatures in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Leader of the opposition Su Tseng-chang confirmed publicly that he supports same-sex marriage at Taiwan Pride day on 27 October. 

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Thai government drafting same-sex civil partnership law

 The Thai government has formed a committee to draft legislation on civil-partnership law for same-sex couples.

One of the committee members, Anjana Suvarnananda of LGBT rights group Anjaree told Gay Star News that the committee has already met and the timetable for drafting recognition of same-sex partnerships is six weeks.

'It's just drafting,' said Suvarnananda. 'And then they will send it to a legal department who will iron it out and make it more legal language. And then it needs to get approval from the government. I'm not sure how long it will take.'

No country in Asia currently has comprehensive civil partnership law. So if this legal recognition is passed, Thailand will be the first.

Thailand has a reputation for tolerance for LGBT people but there is no anti-discrimination law (and widespread discrimination) and even though it is a Mecca for sex reassignment surgery, Thai transexuals cannot change the gender written on their official documents. �

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Related articles

• Same-sex marriage becomes law in Washington state (cbsnews.com)
• Gay marriage a step closer in Scotland (itv.com)

Nepal launches Asia's first gay sports tournament

The two-week event at the national football stadium and other venues around Kathmandu will feature Nepali participants in track and field, volleyball, football, martial arts and tennis, said The Blue Diamond Society, Nepal's leading gay rights group.

"Renowned and respected Nepali athletes will support as coaches and referees for the programme," said organiser Sunil Pant, the country's only openly gay MP said in a statement.

Asia already stages the "Asia-Pacific Outgames", another multi-sport gay event, but this has only been hosted by New Zealand and Australia. Nepal's version which is due to take place in late September will be the first in Asia.

"The aims for organising the Blue Diamond National Sport Competition 2012 are to mainstream LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people) into the larger society, promote healthy lifestyles, encourage physical fitness, and promote health mentally and spiritually," said Pant.

Nepal is a conservative, Hindu country which nonetheless has some of the most progressive policies on homosexuality in Asia. A landmark 2007 court ruling ordered the government to enact laws guaranteeing the rights of gays.

Telegraph.