DESPITE THE unexpected results from the referendum last Saturday, pro-marriage equality groups have not backed down. Undeterred, Equal Rights Cuties (平權公投小可愛), Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan (婚姻平權大平台), led by political activist Jennifer Lu (呂欣潔), and the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR, or 台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟) have continued to step up efforts to vocally and actively advocate with the public, mass media, and legislators at all levels.

With a small one-day KTV break on the Sunday after the 9-in-1 elections and referendum, Equal Rights Cuties and Equality Coalition Taiwan resumed daily canvassing activities at major public locations throughout Taiwan. As it is a tradition for triumphant campaigns by Taiwanese politicians hold thank you rallies (謝票會), both volunteer advocacies have been holding evening and all-day weekend thank you rallies to show appreciation for the over 3 million votes supporting marriage equality and LGBT+ inclusive education. To many, this is a milestone, as the movement started 32 years ago with one person, Chi Chia-Wei (祁家威), the very first advocate of same-sex marriage, as it was called then, who filed a lawsuit in 1986 when the KMT (中國國民黨) lifted martial law (戒嚴) in Taiwan. Chi was detained, harassed, and denied basic human rights to marry his beloved partner. Read more via New Bloom