( CNN ) -- Two women in veils and voluminous white gowns kneel in front of a statue of the Buddha , exchanging vows and prayer beads to the languorous intonations of Buddhist chants . This unconventional ceremony on Saturday was the first same-sex Buddhist wedding held in Taiwan , where a landmark bill to legalize same-sex marriage has been pending since 2003 . No countries in Asia have legalized same-sex marriages so far , although there have been signs of progress in some -- most recently in Vietnam and Nepal . Germany 's high court expands gay rights . Huang Mei-yu said she and her partner of seven years , Yu Ya-ting , decided to hold a Buddhist wedding to acknowledge their own faith , as well the predominant religion of the nation , according to the Taipei Times newspaper . They hoped the ceremony , which was performed by a renowned Buddhist master , would encourage Taiwanese society to accept same-sex marriage . `` Of course it helps ( promote same-sex marriage ) , said Wu Hsiao-wen , Secretary of the Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy , saying that the ceremony set a strong example for the Buddhist community . She added that its legitimacy was bolstered in the public 's eyes by its blessing from Shih Chao-hwei , a highly-respected Buddhist social activist , who presided over the ceremony . Shih founded the Hong-Shih Buddhist College and the Research Centre for Applied Ethics at Hsuan Chuang University . The Buddhist ceremony followed a mass same-sex wedding extravaganza last August , where 80 lesbian couples participated in a `` Barbie and Barbie 's wedding '' in the capital city of Taipei , attracting over 1,000 guests and curious onlookers . Taiwan was the first nation in Asia to introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples . Drafted in 2003 under former president Chen Shui-bian , it has made little headway in Taiwan 's legislature , however . Wu said the issue of same-sex marriage is often given lip service during electoral campaigns , but there is little effort to push the bill forward once the winning candidate takes office . At a gay rights awareness event in 2006 , when the current president , Ma Ying-Jeou , was the mayor of Taipei , he said homosexuality was a `` natural phenomenon '' and `` gay rights are part of human rights . '' Since taking office in 2008 , he has been mostly silent on the issue . Gay men , straight women : enduring bonds . The government is also under pressure from Christian groups -- who comprise a small but vocal religious minority in Taiwan â€ ” Wu said . Given the little political will at present , she said the pressure to push the bill through needs to come from the grassroots level . She is optimistic that same-sex marriage legislation will be passed in the next few years , saying the `` gay and lesbian community is getting stronger and stronger . '' Taipei 's annual gay pride parade has become Asia 's largest since its inception in 2003 , according to organizers , attracting 50,000 people last October . Wu said this year 's parade will focus for the first time on same-sex marriage rights . Elsewhere in the region , Vietnam held its first gay pride parade on August 5 , attended by around 100 people in the capital of Hanoi . It followed inaugural gay pride parades in Myanmar and Laos in May and June , respectively . In July , Vietnam 's Justice Ministry announced it would consider including a provision for same-sex marriage rights in a proposal to the National Assembly next year , as part of an amendment to the country 's marriage laws . While LGBT activists are unsure how far the government will truly take the matter , it appears the decision may stem from practicality . `` It 's time for us to look at the reality , '' Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong said in an online debate . `` The number of homosexuals has mounted to hundreds of thousands . It 's not a small figure . ... They may own property . We , of course , have to handle these issues legally . '' In May , Nepal 's Home Ministry announced it would include an `` others '' category to recognize the alternative gender identities of LGBT people on citizenship certificates and other official government and business documents . Woman who had gay slurs carved in her body speaks out . Nepal 's Supreme Court ruled in favour of granting full rights to LGBT people in 2008 , including the right to marry . But the Nepalese LGBT community is still waiting for these rights to be written into the country 's new permanent constitution , which has been dogged by repeated delays and protracted negotiations . `` I remember when I told my parents that we would get married , their first question was , 'Is this legal ? ' '' Huang told reporters at her wedding . `` I could only say to them that it would ( become legal ) soon , but I did n't know when would be considered soon . So we hope it will become legal . For us and for our families , it is very important . ''
Taiwan 's first same-sex Buddhist wedding ceremony held Saturday . Couple hopes ceremony will promote same-sex marriage to predominantly Buddhist society . Taiwan was first nation in Asia to introduce bill to legalize same-sex marriage , though it has stalled . Vietnam and Nepal taking small steps to recognizing LGBT rights .