Taiwan's Constitutional Court issued a ruling that could pave the way to legalize gay marriage, which would make the island the first in Asia to recognize marriage equality.

"The judges have today said yes to marriage equality," said Amnesty International's Lisa Tassi, among the groups celebrating the historic decision.  "This is a huge step forward for LGBTI rights in Taiwan and will resonate across Asia."

The ruling by a panel of 14 grand justices in Taipei said the the island's Civil Code, which states that only a man and a woman can marry, violated the constitution.  The court issued a news release explaining that allowing single people to have the autonomy to decide whether to marry and whom to marry "is vital to the sound development of personality and safeguarding of human dignity, and therefore is a fundamental right".

Justices also thoroughly rejected the ridiculous notion that somehow same-sex marriages infringe on the rights of traditional couples. 

"Without a doubt, Taiwan is walking in front of other Asian countries on this," said Ying Xin, executive director of the Beijing LGBT Center.  "This is significant for all of Asia."

The justices gave the legislature two years to amend the Civil Code, and Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has asked the Ministry of Justice to come up with a legal framework for complying with the decision.