Source: AFP, Associated Press, and Reuters
Date: May 25,2017

Taiwan is to become the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions.

Taiwan constitutional court ruled in favor of gay marriage Wednesday, a landmark decision that paves the way for the island to become the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions.
臺(tái)灣憲法法院于本周三（ 5 月 24 日）做出了利于同性婚姻的判決，這標(biāo)志著臺(tái)灣即將成為亞洲首個(gè)同性婚姻合法化的地區(qū)。

The court said current marriage laws were "in violation of both the people's freedom of marriage... and the people's right to equality," and it gave two years of legal amendments to be implemented.
法院表示，現(xiàn)行婚姻法律“侵犯了人民的婚姻自由……以及人民的平等權(quán)”，并為相關(guān)修正案的實(shí)施指定了兩年的期限。

If Parliament does not make the change within two years, the court said same-sex couples could register to marry regardless, based on its interpretation.
如果議會(huì)在兩年內(nèi)沒有修改法律，那么法院仍可根據(jù)自身對(duì)法律的解讀，對(duì)同性伴侶開放婚姻登記。

"Sexual orientation is an immutable characteristic that is resistant to change. ... Furthermore, the freedom of marriage for two persons of the same sex, once legally recognised, will constitute the collective basis, together with opposite-sex marriage, for a stable society."
“性取向與生俱來，不可改變?！送?，一旦合法化后，同性婚姻將與異性婚姻一起，共同促進(jìn)社會(huì)穩(wěn)定?！?/p>

Constitutional Court Ruling
憲法法院判決

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights activists had harbored high hopes their years of campaigning for same-sex marriage would win the court's backing.
在為同性婚姻平權(quán)運(yùn)動(dòng)奮斗多年后， LGBT 權(quán)益人士對(duì)法院做出有利判決寄予了厚望。

Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, is internationally known as a beacon of liberalism in a region where socially conservative attitudes largely hold sway.
中國大陸將臺(tái)灣視作一個(gè)叛離省份，島內(nèi)社會(huì)態(tài)度保守；對(duì)外則以自由主義楷模的身份出現(xiàn)于國際視野。

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party that swept national elections in the self-ruled island last year supported the change. Conservative groups, however, have staged mass protests against any change in the law.
去年，執(zhí)政黨民進(jìn)黨發(fā)起全島投票，支持同性婚姻合法化。然而，保守團(tuán)體對(duì)此發(fā)起了大規(guī)?？棺h。

Supporters from both camps had gathered in central Taipei to await the decision, with hundreds of pro-gay marriage campaigners flying rainbow flags outside Parliament.
雙方支持者聚集在臺(tái)北市中心，等待法院判決結(jié)果。許多民眾在議會(huì)大樓外揮舞著彩虹旗，支持同性婚姻合法化。

Supporters from both camps gathered in central Taipei to await the decision.

"This is a clear victory for equal rights in marriage, and it is also a victory for all the people."
“這是婚姻平權(quán)事業(yè)的勝利，更是人民的勝利。”

Victoria Hsu, the lead lawyer on activist Chi-Chia-wei's case
祁家威案首席律師，許秀雯

This is a victory for all the people.

ONE MORE THING
Despite the spread of same-sex marriage in a few regions since 2001, gay and lesbian couples had been allowed to marry in only 22 of the world's nearly 200 countries. More than 70 countries continue to criminalize homosexual activity.
自 2001 年以來，全球多地陸續(xù)對(duì)同性婚姻合法化。如今，全球近 200 個(gè)國家和地區(qū)中，僅有 22 個(gè)允許同性婚姻。同性戀行為在超過 70 個(gè)國家仍屬違法。

hold sway 支配
The beliefs which now hold sway may one day be rejected.
如今占主導(dǎo)地位的信仰有朝一日或被拋棄。

Democratic Progressive Party 民進(jìn)黨