After overcoming anti-LGBTQ discrimination, skepticism about her age and criticism of her limited political experience, 31-year-old Huang Jie says her election to Taiwan¡¯s parliament as the island¡¯s first openly gay MP represents progress.

Democratic Taiwan is one of the most liberal societies in Asia and is hailed as a bastion for LGBTQ rights as the region¡¯s first to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019.

¡°I hope (my election) will bring courage to many people as I¡¯ve demonstrated I¡¯ve done it standing on the front line,¡± said Huang, who will be sworn in as a lawmaker on Thursday.