Gay Star News spoke to DPP lawmaker Yu Mei-Nu about how Taiwan came to be heralded as a beacon of liberalism. And, importantly, why its bid for marriage equality has now stalled.

Why is Taiwan one of the best places in Asia for LGBTI rights?

Since people heard Taiwan will be the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, many people are curious about Taiwan. Both China and Japan have adminstered Taiwan. We had martial law since the Japanese occupation ended [in 1945] until 1987. Taiwan has gone through a long process to democratize and its people have put in a lot of effort. We now have full democracy, with many local parties. In the process of pushing for democracy, we pushed for women’s rights, workers’ rights, and farmers’ rights. This came as LGBTI rights were being recognized globally and we rode on that same wave.