Feature image via HRC’s Twitter

In 2017, Taiwan’s constitutional court ruled in favor of marriage equality and gave parliament two years to get it done. Yesterday, they did! After debating three different bills to legalize same-sex marriage — taking into account that 67% of Taiwanese voters cast their ballots to reject same-sex marriage in a referendum last year — lawmakers voted to pass the most progressive one (the one that didn’t refer marriage as “same-sex family relationships” or “same-sex unions”). When Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen signs the bill, it will become law. Taiwan becomes the first state or country in Asia to pass marriage equality legislation.

Despite staunch conservative lobbying and opposition to the vote in recent months tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people gathered in the streets in the rain outside of parliament to await the decision.

Once the rain finally stopped, Equal Love Taiwan snapped a photo of the clouds breaking open to reveal a literal rainbow. Gay couples will be able to begin getting married on May 24th!