A woman in Taiwan has been ordered by a judge to pay just over $20,000AUD to her former husband after she left him for a woman.
Court documents show that the woman was pressured into the marriage by her family who were against her same-sex relationship.
On their wedding night, the woman told her husband that she was a lesbian and left him a few days later.
A district court in northern Hsinchu said the money would cover betrothal money—paid by the groom’s family—wedding expenses and emotional pain.
The case has sparked debate amongst supporters of same-sex marriage, who have called the ruling ‘homophobic’, according to The Star.
One commenter on Taiwanese news site ETtoday wrote that: “Same-sex marriage should be legalised so people don’t have to marry someone they don’t love.”
Taiwan is on the verge of legalising same-sex marriage—a draft marriage equality bill was passed in December 2016 and will be voted on later this year.
If the bill passes, Taiwan would become the first Asian country to legalise gay marriage.
