Government of Taiwan pursues the same-sex equality by seven-league steps. Recently Taiwan became the first country in Asia to approve same-sex marriage. And now, one city in Taiwan will become the first city to offer paternity and maternity leave for same-sex parents.
The city’s mayor, Ko Wen-je said the lag in updating the marriage equality laws meant same-sex couples are still not eligible for parental leave. Private sector employees will still have to wait for the country’s laws to change. But public sector workers in Taipei City will now get parental leave. Workers who have registered their same-sex relationships can get up to eight days marriage leave and five days of paternal leave. Taipei City Government has already started approving applications for family leave for LGBTI employees.
Jay Lin and his partner are raising twin sons, conceived with the help of an egg donor and a surrogate mother. Jay told us, why a law change was important: “In 2016 the number of adoptions in Taiwan was only around 300. Half of the 300 kids adopted by non-family members went overseas, the other half stayed in Taiwan. And that shows there aren’t a lot children being adopted by local heterosexual couples. So gay couples should be allowed to adopt and provide homes for these children.”
