In Taiwan, Same-Sex Couples Can Adopt And Become Parents

Taiwan grants same-sex couples the right to adopt in the latest step towards full equality.

Taiwan’s legislature passed a bill Tuesday granting same-sex couples the right to jointly adopt a child to whom neither is related, removing one of the final barriers to full marriage equality.

Taiwan grants same-sex couples the right to adopt in the latest step towards full equality.

Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019 but it stopped short of granting same-sex couples full adoption rights.

Previously, only heterosexual couples and single people were allowed to adopt children to whom they were not biologically related. This meant that if same-sex couples wanted to adopt a child, only one of them could register as the child’s legal parent, even if they both shared the financial burden.

“I am very excited that we granted same-sex couples joint adoption rights today,” said Fan Yun, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party who was among those who spearheaded the legal change.

“Legally, we have finally returned same-sex couples to their children,” she continued. “Parental love is the same, and only through joint adoption can we legally protect each other’s rights and interests.”

Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, an advocate for LGBT rights on the island, called the decision a significant step towards full marriage equality.

“Today’s success demonstrates that there is widespread support in Taiwan for protecting the human rights of LGBTI peoples and promoting gender equality,” the alliance said in a statement.

Before Tuesday’s legal change, some same-sex couples had spent years fighting discrimination in Taiwanese courts.

A male couple from Kaohsiung City successfully challenged the ban in a landmark ruling last January, when the court ruled that allowing joint adoption was in the best interests of their child.

However, the court dismissed other similar cases, and the law that limited their civil liberties remained in effect until it was amended on Tuesday.

A step towards equality…..

Even though same-sex marriage was legalized four years ago, there is growing awareness in Taiwan about what it still takes to achieve full marriage equality.

Taiwan’s government issued a new directive in January allowing Taiwanese citizens to marry a foreign spouse of the same sex, even if their partner is from a jurisdiction that does not recognize gay marriage.

However, same-sex partners from mainland China are not covered by this directive.

According to the alliance, some of the remaining barriers for LGBT couples include cross-cultural marriage equality and access to assisted reproductive technologies.