"We decided to get married last year," Huang told Agence France Presse July 11, 2012.
“After being together for six years, we feel we need to make a life-long commitment to each other.”
“After being together for six years, we feel we need to make a life-long commitment to each other.”
and they did!
Lesbian couple celebrate Taiwan's first Buddhist same-sex wedding
TAOYUAN, Taiwan – Two women tied the knot on Saturday, August 11, in Taiwan’s first same-sex Buddhist wedding, a move rights groups hope will help make the island become the first place in Asia to legalize gay marriage.
Fish Huang and You Ya-ting , who have been together for seven years, exchanged vow and prayer beads instead of rings at a monastery in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan, accompanied by chants from nearly 300 Buddhists.
Shih Chao-hwei, a Buddhist master and university professor, offered to perform the ceremony herself after the couple approached her to ask if their faith condemned homosexuality.
“We are witnessing history. The two women are willing to stand out and fight for their fate… to overcome social discrimination,” said Shih, a well-known advocate for social justice.
“Some people might find it astounding [a woman performing the ceremony] but Buddhism does not engage in ideological struggles and I am used to strange looks from my own experience in the social movement,” she said.
colorful as their love :)
The couple’s parents were notably absent from the ceremony, in an indication of the pressure facing some homosexuals and their families.
“Our parents initially agreed to attend and they regret that they
couldn’t be here. We understand that people have different acceptance of
media exposure and we want to give them more space,” Huang said shortly
before the wedding.
“We hope with the master’s support, the wedding will change many people’s perspective even though it is not legally binding,” said the social worker. “We hope the government can legalise same-sex marriage soon.”
Taiwan is one of the most culturally liberal societies in East Asia,
and gay and lesbian groups have been urging the government for years to
make same-sex unions legal.
Aiming to create awareness about the issue, about 80 lesbian couples
tied the knot last year in Taiwan’s biggest same-sex wedding party,
attracting about 1,000 friends, relatives and curious onlookers.
4 comments:
firewomyn I would love to meet you ;P
another reason to go there, maliban sa pagkain / unlimited shabu-shabu and drinks for 600. hahahaha
- tcf
@Kirby - sure :)
@TCF - haha. yes, i was surprised they are considered very liberal. Phils na lang yata ang hinde. hehe
so dapat na ba ako mag change religion? but wait if i did, that would mean that i could be married na.. on second tot....twistedhalo
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