Hit Taiwan movie tackles Asian taboos

Comedy bromance between homophobic cop, gay ghost reflects increasingly liberal society

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Recently deceased gay man Mao Mao, played by Austin Lin, left, and homophobic cop Wu Ming-han, played by Greg Hsu, in a scene from "Marry My Dead Body." (All photos supplied)

THOMPSON CHAU, Contributing writer

TAIPEI -- "After the same-sex marriage bill was passed, we suddenly felt that we could be together for a lifetime," a gay ghost tells his human husband, a handsome and heavily muscled policeman, in the groundbreaking Taiwanese movie "Marry My Dead Body."

This is a line that could not have been delivered before 2019, when Taiwan became the first -- and until now, the only -- Asian government to legalize same-sex marriage. In January, sexual minority rights took another step forward when President Tsai Ing-wen's Democratic Progressive Party administration moved to recognize gay marriages between Taiwanese and non-Taiwanese partners, even when such unions are banned in the foreign partner's native country.

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