To many outside the LGBT community, the May 2017 ruling of the Taiwan Constitutional Court legalising same-sex marriage settled the question. However, outside the public consciousness, there has been a continuous struggle for same-sex couples to attain equal rights, despite being promised them by the highest court on the island. The vote against amending the Civil Code to legalise same-sex marriage in a November 2018 referendum was a setback not only for the LGBT community, but also President Tsai Ing-wen, who campaigned heavily in favour of gay marriage. Following this setback, new uncertainties have emerged to reconcile this vote with the realities required by the judiciary, as the legislature determines the final details of a gay marriage bill this week.