quote[quote] With legal same-sex marriages, Taiwan would get a boost in tourism from a relatively affluent and well-educated demographic group -- the kind of people who help to bring in other tourists and boost Taiwan's "visibility." [/quote]What about legalizing it because it is the right thing to do? Another step toward treating homosexuals like the normal people they are and equal to heterosexuals?
Though, I do understand your point. The government, any government, is more likely to pass such a law IF they are more than just a moral/ethical reason to do it. And, an economic reason is by far the one that will get them moving.
Jonathan
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German Press and Information Office
Article
Published on 2. August 2002 15:45 h
One year of registered partnerships for same-sex couples
The Act on Registered Partnerships of August 1, 2001 allows homosexual couples to register their partnership with an authority determined by the relevant state - as a rule, the registry office. This gives the partners rights and obligations, the lack of which previously discriminated against gay and lesbian couples in their everyday lives. The law, which was also ruled constitutional on July 17, 2002, reflects the recognition of the same-sex way of life as a perfectly natural part of society.
End of discrimination against gays and lesbians
Government Spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye acknowledged the ruling as an “impressive endorsement of the Federal Government’s reform policy to reduce discrimination against gays and lesbians in Germany”. The law on registered partnerships is based on a Federal Government initiative. The State Governments of Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia instituted judicial proceedings on the constitutionality of the law.
Heye explained that the Federal Government now also expects the Supplementary Act on Lifetime Partnerships to be swiftly approved. In addition to provisions on taxation law and on the law relating to public employees, this legislation, which still has to be adopted by the Bundesrat, also envisages registered partnerships being taken into consideration in the assessment and payment of social security benefits. The Government Spokesman said the Federal Government also considers the ruling an endorsement of its overall course of social policy reform, which includes the new Immigration Act.
Firm legal basis for long-term partnership
Key points of the legislation on registered partnerships are:
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the right to specify a joint name
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mutual rights and obligations with regard to maintenance
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“minor custody rights” of the registered partner, i.e. the right to participate in decisions on matters relating to the daily life of a child brought into the partnership by a partner
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the legal right to an inheritance from the surviving registered partner
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the right of the surviving partner to assume the tenancy agreement of a deceased partner
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the right to refuse to give evidence
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the inclusion of the registered partner in medical and nursing care insurance plans
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the right of a foreign partner to join a partner in Germany and the right of foreign partners to naturalization
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provisions on the consequences of the dissolution of registered partnerships (e.g. maintenance rights).
Not the same as marriage
By a majority of five votes to three, the First Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court confirmed the Federal Government’s view that the provisions of legislation on same-sex partnerships did not entail complete equality with marriage.
Although the Basic Law stipulates that marriage and family shall enjoy special protection, it does not follow that there is a “differentiation requirement” for same-sex partnerships which would prohibit the possibility of a legally recognized relationship. The necessary differentiation is provided adequately by the difference between marriages of men and women and registered partnerships.
Need for improvement on only one point
The Federal Constitutional Court called upon the legislature to improve the legislation on only one point: provision must be made for the eventuality that one of the partners in a registered partnership subsequently wishes to marry. Two options are possible: either the prior dissolution of the registered partnership or the automatic invalidity of a registered partnership in the event of marriage.
For additional information from the German Federal Ministry of Justice see http://www.bmj.de/
Hartzell I definitely agree with you.
[quote=“gintaiwan”]LJ/Jonathan,
If you really need to live in an English-speaking country, I think that if one of you two qualify to immigrate to Canada or OZ, the other one of you can piggyback on his visa. It’s another option, which in a way is fair: neither one of you lives in your own home country. [/quote]
Not for Australia, NZ yes if you can prove 4 years of living together. Canada I’m not sure but just because it’s recognized for common law doesn’t mean it will be recognoized for immigration law, not unless specific legislation is passed.
Even thought the Taiwan household registration is based on the Geran model does not mean they will recognize same sex realtionships here.
I don’t beleive that they are about to either.
This is for a local ROC national…? I’ve known some RC mothers who were not married and did not list the fathers name on the birth certificate and their children were able to be registered… this is back in 1992.
Perhaps they just process things differently in different household registration offices. Wouldn’t surprise me.