Gender/Sexuality

Laws for Transnational Gay Marriages to be Amended for Chinese Spouses

The Mainland Affairs Council stated earlier this month that it intends to amend current laws regulating transnational gay marriages in such a manner that international marriages are recognized, including for Chinese spouses. Nevertheless, one notes that the Mainland Affairs Council already stated that it was exploring options for Chinese spouses in January 2021, meaning that the issue has dragged on for almost a year...

The Struggle for Transgender Rights Continues With Taiwan’s First Legal Gender Change Without Providing Proof of Surgery

A variety of events happened this past week with regards to the ongoing struggle for transgender rights in Taiwan, including Taiwan’s first successful legal gender change without submitting proof of surgery, Lisbeth Wu’s second preliminary proceedings, and the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights' second Transgender Film Festival. These gains for transgender rights have not gone unchallenged though, as the past two months have also included increasing opposition...

Arrest Calls Attention to Issue of “Deepfake” Videos in Taiwan

The issue of "deepfakes" has been widely discussed in Taiwan after YouTuber "Xiao Yu" was found to be responsible for a Telegram group used to sell, commission, and circulate "deepfake" porn videos of women, who were mostly public figures. Xiao Yu, whose real name is Zhu Yu-chen, was subsequently taken into custody. Xiao Yu is primarily known for humor videos, though some of his viral stunts have caused controversy in the past...

LGBTQ+ Groups Celebrate Ruling Against Surgery Requirement for Legal Gender Change

This morning at 10:00 AM the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights hosted a press conference regarding yesterday afternoon’s Taipei High Administrative Court ruling against regulations requiring proof of surgical intervention to change one’s legal gender. The historic ruling in favor of plaintiff Xiao E found existing legal gender change regulations to be unconstitutional. Assuming that this ruling does not get appealed, Xiao E will be able to change her legal gender and become Taiwan’s first transgender woman to do so without submitting proof of surgery...

Obstacles Remain for Transnational Gay Marriages, Despite Marriage of Taiwan-Macau Gay Couple

A marriage between a Taiwanese man and his partner from Macau have been hailed as a landmark for transnational gay marriages in Taiwan. The marriage, which took place between Ting Tse-yan and his partner Guzifer Leong, who is from Macau, took place yesterday and was registered at the Zhongzheng District Household Registration Office. The marriage could happen because of a ruling by the Taipei High Administrative Court in May...