It was in October of this year when the Democratic Progressive Party drafted a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Less than a month later, the legislation has passed through the first round of vetting and because of this, thousands of protesters gathered at Ketagalan Boulevard to voice their opposition to the bill.
Around 80,000 people encircled Jingfu Gate wearing their white shirts. The protest was organized by Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation and that there were also rallies in Taichung and Kaohsiung which was able to gather more than 90,000 people.
Over 90,000 people showed up in Kaohsiung, the southern part of Taiwan, to protest against the government's initialization of same-sex marriage equality bill.
During the protest, a skit was performed by some participants that demanded schools to stop teaching anything pro-homosexual in their curriculum. The event also had two large black balls being thrown around by the crowd, which was meant to show them telling Yu Mei-nu to "roll out" of Taiwan.
Yu Mei-nu is a legislator for the pro-gay rights Democratic Progressive Party, and he was one of the legislators who is pushing for the legalization of same-sex marriage. He is also a part of the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, of which he is a co-convener.
This is not the first protest against same-sex marriage, as last month the Alliance of Taiwan religious Groups for the Protection of Family organized around 20,000 people at the front of Legislative Yuan even as the bill was being discussed by lawmakers inside the building.
Even though a recent opinion poll shows that more and more Taiwanese people are supporting gay marriage, last month's protesters insist that there should be public hearings and that the people should be asked about their opinion of the legalization of same-sex marriage. They are arguing that Confucianism, of which Taiwanese society recognizes as its roots, emphasizes traditional family values.
Those who oppose same-sex marriage argue that to a marriage that is not between a man and a woman would prove to be very confusing for the children and the next generation.
"Only a heterosexual marriage can create the possibility of bearing children, and only then can we sustain the nation's next generation," a pastor representing the group said. "Marriage is a human right, but like all human rights there are limitations."
Tens of thousands of protesters in Taiwan rally against the government's passing of the Same-Sex Marriage Equality Bill. Protesters hold signs that stated that family marriage is decided by the people.
"We oppose homosexual marriage being amended into the Civil Code because the family system comprised of marriage between one man and one woman is the foundation of society, and if you damage it, that will lead to marriage, family and the structure of society being completely wiped out," alliance spokesman Chu Wu-hsien said.
"Every person has a right to love, but there is also a proper order to love: We do not use the same manner to love animals as people, and love for a husband and wife is different from how you love friends," Chinese Regional Bishops' Conference secretary-general Otried Chan said.
