Same-Sex Marriage and Western Wedding in Taiwan History

Taiwan is the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage and there are still many conservative forces who still keep up a opposition. In fact, there have been cases of same-sex marriage in Taiwanese newspapers in the 1910s.

“There is a 28-year-old woman Xiao Jin who are strong and masculine on Anping Street. In Taiwanese society, which is accustomed to early marriages, it is rare for people like her to approach 30-year-old without getting married.With the help of her brother, she married Oye, a woman who lived on the same street. After getting married, she changed into men's clothes and got along very well with her wife.” ──《臺灣日日新報》1912/5/10。

The conservatives see same-sex marriage as ominous the way Taiwanese in the 1920s viewed wedding dresses.The concept of traditional Taiwanese, white is associated with funerals so a wedding gown is considered ominous. Nonetheless, some people who follow western fashion began to match white veils with traditional red wedding dresses.

People misunderstood same-sex marriage just like people misunderstood white wedding dresses at the time, so we painted brides in white veils to celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan.