Taiwan military wedding welcomes same-sex couples
'Coming out bravely'
Two same-sex couples tied the knot
in a mass wedding held by Taiwan’s military
Date: October 30, 2020
Location: Taoyuan, Taiwan
(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) FRIEND OF CHEN YING-HSUAN, WORKING IN SERVICE SECTOR, 25, Wan Yuteng, SAYING:
REPORTER: "Did you think something like this could happen?”
WAN: "No. I didn't. I think it is really good to combine this event with such modern ideas. Whether it's happening in the military or across the country, this is a really positive direction."
(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) TAIWAN MILITARY COMBAT ENGINEER LIEUTENANT AND NEWLYWED, CHEN YING-HSUAN, SAYING:
"This world is in fact pretty loving and friendly. That is, it isn't as scary as everyone imagines. Even in a closed environment like our military, I've received lots of messages of congratulations and support from colleagues and senior officers. They always tell me I should be brave and be myself. So I think everyone else can too. Don't be afraid."
In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian country
to legalize same-sex marriage