Taiwan's Rainbow Road: Love and Equality from Street Protests to the 'Wei-Meng Planet'

30-second overview: In 2017, Taiwan's Constitutional Court issued Interpretation No. 748, ruling that the Civil Code's failure to protect same-sex marriage was unconstitutional — a landmark in Asia's marriage equality movement. The rainbow road here passed through Chi Chia-wei's decades of solitary struggle, the awakening sparked by the Yeh Yung-chih incident, and the tragic death of Professor Jacques Picoux — culminating in the passage of a special law in 2019. By the end of 2024, more than 32,000 same-sex couples had completed marriage registration nationwide. Today, as same-sex couples like "Wei & Meng" share their everyday love on social media, understanding and acceptance of Taiwan's LGBTQ+ community continues to deepen — but issues around the Assisted Reproduction Act, cross-border parental rights, and anti-discrimination legislation remain to be resolved.

In 1986, a Taiwanese man named Chi Chia-wei petitioned the Legislative Yuan for the first time, calling for same-sex marriage legalization — an act that was, in the conservative society of the time, nothing less than a bombshell. This was not only the opening shot of Taiwan's LGBTQ+ rights movement, but of the broader movement across Asia. From that moment, Taiwan's rainbow road unfolded slowly but steadily: through decades of social dialogue, legal battles, and cultural shocks, the country ultimately became in 2019 the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. Along that road there were solitary pioneers, a young person who gave his life for gender equality, and a new generation showing love and resilience in everyday life.

Historical Footprints: From Solitary Struggle to Legal Milestones

Taiwan's LGBTQ+ rights movement began with what seemed an impossible challenge. In 1986, Chi Chia-wei — acclaimed as "Taiwan's first publicly out gay man" — began campaigning for same-sex marriage, petitioning the Legislative Yuan and making multiple attempts to register for marriage, all of which were rejected. His persistence kindled a faint but tenacious flame in an era when LGBTQ+ issues were taboo.¹²

As the 21st century arrived, a series of events accelerated social attention to gender issues. In 2000, Yeh Yung-chih, a student at Gaoshu Junior High School in Pingtung County, was subjected to sustained campus bullying because of his gentle, feminine manner, and ultimately died after being found in a pool of blood in the school bathroom. The incident shocked society and prompted Taiwan to pass the Gender Equity Education Act in 2004, emphasizing gender diversity and respect for difference — laying the foundation for gender education in schools.³

In 2016, French teacher Jacques Picoux died after falling from a building in Taiwan. Because his partner lacked legal spousal status, he was unable to handle Picoux's final affairs — once again highlighting the legal predicament of same-sex partners and sparking widespread public discussion of same-sex marriage rights.⁴

These accumulating social energies ultimately converged into an unstoppable tide. On May 24, 2017, the Grand Justices of the Judicial Yuan issued Interpretation No. 748, ruling that the Civil Code's failure to protect same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and requiring the relevant authorities to complete the necessary legislative revisions or enactments within two years — failing which, same-sex couples could register for marriage directly under the Civil Code.⁵⁶ This interpretation was not only a major victory for Taiwan's LGBTQ+ rights movement — it set a precedent for other Asian nations.

📝 Curator's note: From Chi Chia-wei's solitary petition to the Grand Justices' ruling, Taiwan's LGBTQ+ rights road was not achieved in a single stroke but through the accumulation of countless individuals and events, which together drove social and legal progress.

Current Status and Challenges: The Extension and Deepening of the Equality Road

On May 17, 2019, the Legislative Yuan passed the Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 Implementation Act on third reading, and Taiwan formally became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. The special act guarantees same-sex couples' marital rights — including property inheritance and medical decision-making — allowing same-sex partners who love each other to unite legally.⁷

Since the passage of the same-sex marriage special act, the number of same-sex marriage registrations in Taiwan has continued to grow. As of the end of 2024, a total of 32,126 same-sex couples had completed marriage registration nationwide — approximately 22,330 women and 9,796 men — indicating that lesbian marriage registrations significantly outnumber gay male registrations.⁸

On cross-border same-sex marriage: an internal ministry directive on January 19, 2023 expanded interpretation to allow Taiwanese nationals to legally marry same-sex foreign partners in Taiwan. This meaningfully resolved the predicament of some cross-border couples. In 2024, registrations between Taiwanese nationals and foreign same-sex partners reached 504 — roughly three times the 2022 figure.⁸ However, due to principles governing cross-border civil law application, if the foreign partner's country does not recognize same-sex marriage, there may still be legal obstacles in specific cases, potentially affecting the establishment of parent-child relationships.

Joint adoption rights are also a goal the LGBTQ+ community continues to pursue. On May 16, 2023, the Legislative Yuan passed amendments to the Implementation Act on third reading, allowing same-sex spouses to jointly adopt children without blood ties — closing an institutional gap in the rights of LGBTQ+ families.⁹ However, in cross-border or step-parent adoption, practical challenges remain: cases have been rejected by courts due to foreign law's non-recognition of same-sex marriage, and inequities in establishing parent-child relationships persist, requiring further legal and practical refinement.

The revision of the Assisted Reproduction Act is one of Taiwan's latest advances in LGBTQ+ equality. Though long regarded as "unfinished business," the Executive Yuan passed a draft amendment to the Assisted Reproduction Act in December 2025, expanding eligibility to single women aged 18 and above and female same-sex spouses (using their own uterus and eggs), and adding a "consenting spouse mechanism" to protect parent-child relationships and the child's right to know their biological origins. This draft has been submitted to the Legislative Yuan and has not yet passed a third reading. Notably, surrogacy (primarily relating to male same-sex families' reproductive rights) is being handled separately and remains under deliberation in a dedicated bill.¹⁰¹³ The passage of this amendment is significant progress toward equality — but the legislative process in the Yuan remains incomplete, and the reproductive rights of male same-sex families have yet to be incorporated into protections.

📝 Curator's note: Legal progress is the crystallization of social dialogue, but every legislative revision may be accompanied by new challenges. Each step Taiwan takes on the equality road is seeking fairness and justice for an ever-broader range of people.

Love and Daily Life: Wei & Meng and the Rainbow Generation

As law and society advance, Taiwan's LGBTQ+ community is also expressing its presence and vitality in increasingly diverse ways. In recent years, a same-sex couple known as "Wei & Meng" (崴崴孟孟) has rapidly gone viral on social media. Through their genuine love story, musical creations, and life-sharing, they have attracted a large following. Meng graduated from National Taiwan University's Department of Civil Engineering and is pursuing a master's degree in the Music Department at Fu Jen Catholic University; Wei holds a master's degree in Information Science from Taipei City University of Science and Technology, with achievements in the AI field.¹¹

Wei & Meng's appeal lies not only in their academic backgrounds, but in the way their everyday interactions showcase the sincerity and beauty of same-sex love. The recurring "strawberry cake" joke, the "Wei-Meng tongue twister," and multiple original songs including Wei Wei Baby and Wei-Meng's 300-Day Gift have all become beloved topics among fans.¹² As of 2026, Wei & Meng continue to be active online through new song releases and community activities, embodying their "Wei-Meng Planet" image as a positive example of same-sex love, continuing to foster social resonance and understanding. Their story lets many people see that same-sex couples, like heterosexual couples, have ordinary and happy daily lives — further deepening society's understanding and resonance with the LGBTQ+ community. The "Wei-Meng Planet" they have created symbolizes a space full of love and inclusion, letting more people feel warmth and hope.

📝 Curator's note: When law secures rights, everyday love and connection can truly enter public view. The story of Wei & Meng proves that love takes many forms, and happiness has many faces.

Conclusion: The Rainbow Road Continues Forward

Taiwan's rainbow road is one full of challenges and full of hope. From the early solitary struggles, through the gradual perfection of law, to the everyday expressions of a new generation of LGBTQ+ couples, Taiwan society's understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people continues to grow. However, the pace of equality must continue moving forward, with much remaining to be completed: full legislation of the Assisted Reproduction Act, further protection of cross-border parental rights, integrating the same-sex marriage special act back into the Civil Code to reduce differentiation, strengthening workplace and campus anti-discrimination measures, and protecting transgender rights. Although Taiwan is already a leader in LGBTQ+ equality in the Asian region, under external pressure from global anti-DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) currents, Taiwan must hold firm and continue promoting social progress — to truly realize a society where all who love can live freely, equally, and happily.

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