Transnational same-sex couples need your help!

• Total media exposures: 16 media exposures in Q2. A total of 35 exposures in Q1 and Q2. 

1. TAPCPR held a press conference before the eve of Lunar New Year to call on the government to facilitate the legalization of transnational same-sex marriage so that same-sex couples will not have to eat alone without the company of their partner at the New Year’s Eve dinner.   https://reurl.cc/9Eo0ov
2. Feature article co-op on the legalization of transnational marriage with “Apple Daily,” the largest print media in Taiwan, from different perspectives ranging from personal stories to legal and political analyses. A total of 5 online exposures and 1 full-page print coverage were monitored.
3. Single article co-op with China Times and Apple Daily on the legalization of transnational marriage.

• Social actions: 2 on-site promotional activities  and 4 social education activities. A total of 8 on-site promotional activities and 13 social education activities in Q1 and Q2. 

1. TAPCPR participated in activities to distribute brochures about the legalization of transnational marriage and gathered signatories from the audience to voice support for the cause. 
2. TAPCPR also took part in social advocacy and education.

• Collection of petition letters from transnational same-sex couples: 68 letters 

• Transnational same-sex couples gatherings and case rescues:

1. Internal gatherings: 3 gatherings in Q2. A total of 8 gatherings in Q1 and Q2.  
2. Case rescue: Provided assistance to same-sex couples of Hong Kong and Taiwan origins who were not able to reunite due to the border control following the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

• Litigation

Starting last October, TAPCPR attorneys had filed petitions to the administration on behalf of two transnational couples who weren’t able to register their marriage in Taiwan. We’ve filed an administrative petition this past January for one couple while the other couple received the results of their petition and ready to file administrative litigation 

On the other hand, two other similar cases related to the registration of marriage of transnational same-sex couples are in the processes of judicial remedy. We plan to file petitions to the administration for the two couples. 

• Media coverage

During the time of Taiwan LGBT Pride in October, we cooperated with media on the topic of transnational same-sex couples and generated 5 coverage:

1. Given the special political relations between Taiwan and China, Taiwanese and Chinese same-sex couples are in special legal status in terms of marriage registration.  

2. A transnational same-sex couple that raises a child together cannot register their marriage in Taiwan. Their child is forced to only have a single parent legally. 

3. There are many migrant workers in Taiwan, however, most of them have been placed in a lower social status and difficult conditions. The border control of sending countries of migrant workers has been especially tightened in Taiwan. Therefore, same-sex couples whose nationality is/are of the regulated sending countries have faced an even tougher situation. 

4. At the main stage of Taiwan LGBT Pride in Taiwan, we demanded the government to give back marriage rights to transnational same-sex couples.

5. TAPCPR filed an administrative appeal against the Taipei City Government after a transnational same-sex couple’s attempt to register their marriage was rejected.

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• Social actions

1. Produced flyers about issues of transnational same-sex couples and distributed in the below activities to raise awareness among the public

2019/9/7Rainbow picnic in Taoyuan 

2019/9/21Rainbow Cultural Festival in Hsinchu

2019/9/28Rainbow carnival in Hualien

2019/9/29Rainbow carnival in Taitung

2019/10/26Taiwan LGBT Pride in Taipei 

2019/11/23    LGBT pride in Kaohsiung

2. Social promotion and education

Transnational same-sex couples shared their life stories and legal appeals:

Tao-Yuan Residence (LGBTQ health center): Same-sex couples from Malaysia and Hong Kong shared their stories and legal struggle in same-sex marriage registration in Taiwan. 

TAPCPR volunteer group: shared three major obstacles in transnational same-sex marriages, which are “Act Governing the Choice of Law in Civil Matters Involving Foreign Elements,” “domestic face-to-face interview” and “overseas face-to-face interview.” The TAPCPR volunteers also created a “transnational same-sex board game” to help raise awareness. 

We’ve addressed the legal status and difficulties to overcome in the issue of transnational same-sex couples in below speeches:

2019/8/25

Amnesty International Taiwan Chapter

2019/9/2

New Taipei City Government

2019/9/20

Taipei Bar Association

2019/10/18

Citi

2019/10/29

National Taiwan Sport University

2019/11/21

Tzu Chi Senior High School Affiliated with Tzu Chi University

• Litigations

From October 2019, the attorneys of TAPCPR have filed administrative appeals to government agencies for two transnational same-sex couples who weren’t able to register their marriage in Taiwan. 

In addition, two other similar cases are also in progress and will be filed by the attorneys of TAPCPR. The two cases are expected to be filed for succeeding judicial relief procedures in December.