Taiwanese voters reject same-sex marriage

Taiwanese voters have rejected the legalization of same-sex marriage by passing a referendum that contradicts a Constitutional Court ruling.

Voters on Saturday passed the referendum, which restricts marriage to one man and one woman, according to The Associated Press.

Taiwan would have been the first nation in Asia to grant such rights as child custody and insurance benefits to same-sex couples, the AP noted.

{mosads}The referendum, which was reportedly organized by conservative Christian groups, follows a May 2017 order from Taiwan’s top court instructing lawmakers to legalize same-sex unions within two years.

The vote is an advisory ballot initiative and does not have legal implications, but will likely prompt lawmakers to revisit the issue of same-sex marriage ahead of re-election in 2020, the AP reported.

Voters on Saturday also approved an initiative asking schools not to teach LGBTQ “education,” according to the news service.

The votes are considered a blow to LGBTQ rights in Asia, and have been condemned by Amnesty International as “a step backwards for human rights in Taiwan.”