LGBT history in Taiwan

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The major religions in Taiwan are Buddhism and Taoism. In these religions, the beliefs present no arguable issues about LGBTQ people^{[citation needed]}. There are no laws about punishing sodomy, which means^{[citation needed]} a sexual relationship between males is not considered an abomination ^{[citation needed]}, unlike in many western and Abrahamic religions. However, it was long considered a taboo issue. When human rights issues were discussed in political arenas, the concept of Tongzhi (Chinese: 同志; lit. 'Comrade (communist sense)', ' homosexual'^[1]) became a key term among the politicians in Taiwan. When it emerged in political forums, Taiwanese people began to become familiar with the idea that Tongzhi people being a part of their culture.^{[citation needed]} Yet still, LGBTQ people were not mentioned in Taiwanese law. Punishment for being part of the LGBTQ community did not exist, yet there was also not any welfare or protection for LGBTQ people.

Beginning in the 1990s, the movements of the human rights for LGBTQ in Taiwan gained traction.^[2] Since the movement emerged, Taiwan has been considered one of the most LGBTQ friendly nations in Asia. There is a large gay community and the biggest Pride Parade in Asia is held annually in Taipei. On 25 May 2017, the Supreme Court issued a long-awaited ruling on the laws banning same-sex marriage. They ruled that such laws were unconstitutional. This was a massive breakthrough for the fight for equality, as it requires the Parliament to amend the laws within two years. In 2019, same-sex marriage was fully legalized. In some cities a same sex partnership card for LGBTQ couples is issued to prove their relationship in case of emergency. LGBTQ discrimination is now banned in workplaces and schools. In addition, people can legally change their gender. Taiwan's first female president was elected in May 2016, Tsai Ing-wen, and officially supports the rights of the LGBT people. She worked to put the processes that legalized same-sex marriage into motion, and once said she desired that Taiwan become the first country in the Asia to allow same-sex marriage. Overall, Taiwan has a progressive history of LGBTQ.^[3]