Excerpt
Taiwan approves same-sex marriage, first such ruling in Asia
BEIJING - Taiwan's decision giving same-sex couples the right to marry has proved a shot in the arm for the gay rights movement in Asia, but it is likely to be many years before China approves similar measures, amid deep-rooted opposition in some quarters.
Until 2001, China listed homosexuality as a mental disorder, but it is not illegal to be gay. Many large cities have thriving gay scenes, although gay men and women still face a lot of family pressure to get married and have children.
Wednesday's decision, the first such ruling in Asia, cements Taiwan's position as a beacon of liberalism in the region, and could prompt legal action by activists in Thailand, home to one of Southeast Asia's most vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
Mainstream Chinese media either ignored the decision by Taiwan's constitutional court, or focused on the island's few protesters against it. The decision had "caused controversy," the state-run Xinhua news agency said.
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