Taiwan becomes first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage

There were celebrations in the streets on Friday.

Taiwan's parliament has become the first in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage following a vote on Friday. The vote came almost two years after the island's Constitutional Court ruled that the existing law was unconstitutional. The panel of judges gave the island's parliament two years to amend or enact new laws. The two year deadline would have expired next week. The landmark bill was passed by 66 votes to 27 following a heated debate over marriage equality that has divided the island. The bill allows same-sex couples to form "exclusive permanent unions" and another clause that would let them apply for a "marriage registration" with government agencies was passed on Friday. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, wrote on Twitter following today's decision: "Taiwan's action today should sound a clarion call, kicking off a larger movement across Asia to ensure equality for LGBT people and pro-active protection of their rights by governments throughout the region." Vietnam lifted a ban on same-sex marriage in 2015 but has not offered the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples.