A Win for Love

By Chantel Castrejon, Staff Reporter

CHIANG YING-YING/Associated Press

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, two same-sex couples were married at the mass wedding of the Taiwanese Army. It is the first gay wedding since marriage equality was approved 18 months ago by the island’s government.

Chen Ying-xuan & Lee Ying-ying and Wang Yi & Meng Youmei were the female soldiers and their civilian spouses married on Friday. Through exercising their new legal rights to tie the knot, Taiwan has welcomed hundreds of same-sex couples.

"Love makes Taiwan stronger, bless every lover, and cheer for the continuous improvement of the national army,” a Taipei city council member said.

Since the nation transitioned from authoritarian rule in the late 1980s, Taiwan has become one of Asia's most democratic cultures. In May 2019, it became the first country in Asia to recognize and legalize same sex marriage. When focusing on the advancement of same sex marriages and overall acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, Taiwan has been one of the most progressive countries to move forward with more open-minded ways.

In line with "the government's response to low fertility and in solidarity with military personnel," according to the Army Headquarters Collective Wedding Programme, mass military weddings have been held annually since 2014.

“Our country…has become the first in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage and the ministry gives its blessings to same-sex servicemen who are getting married” the Taiwanese Military said.

Both couples saw their weddings with a sense of obligation to serve the LGBT community. Chen, one of the soldiers who got married, stated that she has always been open about her sexuality and even wore a rainbow wristband in order to try and show that.

“Not only did you make your presence felt, but you also make ‘our’ voice heard. So, so proud of you!” a commenter viewing the marriage said.

Another wrote: “You defend our country, we defend your freedom.”

Although it was a short ceremony at an army base in the northern city of Taoyuan in front of a crowd of family members and their senior officers, the couples took part in a procession and later exchanged rings in an event that would show all of the world the acceptance of loving freely.