Taiwan becomes 1st in Asia to recognize same-sex marriage

Source: AFP, Associated Press, and Reuters
Date: May 25,2017

Taiwan is to become the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions.

Taiwan constitutional court ruled in favor of gay marriage Wednesday, a landmark decision that paves the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions.
台湾宪法法院于本周三（ 5 月 24 日）做出了利于同性婚姻的判决，这标志着台湾即将成为亚洲首个同性婚姻合法化的地区。

The court said current marriage laws were "in violation of both the people's freedom of marriage... and the people's right to equality," and it gave two years of legal amendments to be implemented.
法院表示，现行婚姻法律“侵犯了人民的婚姻自由……以及人民的平等权”，并为相关修正案的实施指定了两年的期限。

If Parliament does not make the change within two years, the court said same-sex couples could register to marry regardless, based on its interpretation.
如果议会在两年内没有修改法律，那么法院仍可根据自身对法律的解读，对同性伴侣开放婚姻登记。

"Sexual orientation is an immutable characteristic that is resistant to change. ... Furthermore, the freedom of marriage for two persons of the same sex, once legally recognised, will constitute the collective basis, together with opposite-sex marriage, for a stable society."
“性取向与生俱来，不可改变。……此外，一旦合法化后，同性婚姻将与异性婚姻一起，共同促进社会稳定。”

Constitutional Court Ruling
宪法法院判决

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights activists had harbored high hopes their years of campaigning for same-sex marriage would win the court's backing.
在为同性婚姻平权运动奋斗多年后， LGBT 权益人士对法院做出有利判决寄予了厚望。

Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, is internationally known as a beacon of liberalism in a region where socially conservative attitudes largely hold sway.
中国大陆将台湾视作一个叛离省份，岛内社会态度保守；对外则以自由主义楷模的身份出现于国际视野。

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party that swept national elections in the self-ruled island last year supported the change. Conservative groups, however, have staged mass protests against any change in the law.
去年，执政党民进党发起全岛投票，支持同性婚姻合法化。然而，保守团体对此发起了大规模抗议。

Supporters from both camps had gathered in central Taipei to await the decision, with hundreds of pro-gay marriage campaigners flying rainbow flags outside Parliament.
双方支持者聚集在台北市中心，等待法院判决结果。许多民众在议会大楼外挥舞着彩虹旗，支持同性婚姻合法化。

Supporters from both camps gathered in central Taipei to await the decision.

"This is a clear victory for equal rights in marriage, and it is also a victory for all the people."
“这是婚姻平权事业的胜利，更是人民的胜利。”

Victoria Hsu, the lead lawyer on activist Chi-Chia-wei's case
祁家威案首席律师，许秀雯

This is a victory for all the people.

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ONE MORE THING
Despite the spread of same-sex marriage in a few regions since 2001, gay and lesbian couples had been allowed to marry in only 22 of the world's nearly 200 countries. More than 70 countries continue to criminalize homosexual activity.
自 2001 年以来，全球多地陆续对同性婚姻合法化。如今，全球近 200 个国家和地区中，仅有 22 个允许同性婚姻。同性恋行为在超过 70 个国家仍属违法。

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hold sway 支配
The beliefs which now hold sway may one day be rejected.
如今占主导地位的信仰有朝一日或被抛弃。

Democratic Progressive Party 民进党