Protests in Taiwan over same-sex marriage
Print Edition
THOUSANDS protested in Taipei yesterday against draft bills that would make Taiwan the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, arguing that it would undermine traditional family values.
Protesters dressed in white and holding placards with slogans including “Stand forward for the next generation’s happiness” packed a street outside the legislature, where a committee was debating the issue.
They shook their hands in the air and gave the thumbs-down as they watched a live stream of the committee meeting on a big screen.
Supporters of gay rights are more hopeful than ever that same-sex marriage will become a reality under the pro-gay rights Democratic Progressive Party, which is in control of the legislature for the first time.
But opposing voices have been building since proposed amendments to legalize same-sex marriage passed initial vetting earlier this month.
While Taiwan is considered progressive in many issues, its roots in Confucianism translate into a strong sense of adherence to traditional values such as family loyalty and social hierarchy.
David Tseng, a spokesman of the rally’s organizer, The Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance, said that while the group supported equal rights for same-sex partners in certain areas, marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
“Now they want to amend the law to do away with the ‘father’ and ‘mother’ altogether,” he said. “We are different from the West. In Eastern culture, we place great importance on filial piety to one’s father and mother. This is a virtue we must keep.”
Tseng called for a referendum on the issue, criticizing the absence of public participation in drafting the bills.
Taiwan is one of the region’s most forward-thinking societies when it comes to gay rights, but progress on marriage equality had been stagnant, because of resistance from the Kuomintang party, which dominated politics for decades before being unseated by the DPP in May.
Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen has openly supported marriage equality and said she would respect any decision reached by the legislature.
Wang Tzu-hao, representing a group describing itself as Christian, said: “Only a heterosexual marriage can create the possibility of bearing children, and only then can we sustain the next generation. Marriage is a human right, but like all human rights there are limitations.”
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