First Couples Say ‘I Do’ in Taiwan After Same-Sex Marriage Is Legalized

Tears flowed and bouquets flew on Friday as hundreds of same-sex couples exchanged vows in Taipei’s Shinyi District.

Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage when its legislature voted to approve the measure last week. Thousands gathered in the streets to celebrate the landmark moment for LGBT rights in Asia, where gay people can face stigma for varying reasons from religion to conservative values.

The new laws went into effect Friday, and hundreds of history-making Taiwanese couples planned to get married en masse. Here is a look at some of the first same-sex couples to wed in Asia.

Shane Lin and Marc Yuan became one of Taiwan’s first gay couples to tie the knot.

It was an emotional moment for the couple, who shed a few tears during the ceremony.

Other couples waited their turn for their turn to wed.

One couple showed off their marriage registration picture, an AFP reporter shared on Twitter.

Other couples posed for photos, as a DW reporter posted on Twitter.