LGBT Protests in Taiwan

The article below details a protest that occurred in Taipei this past week.  The article gives some basic information on the state of LGBT rights in Taiwan, and gives readers a look into the struggle for LGBT recognition in Chinese society.

However, it may be beneficial to give a brief introduction to how Chinese views of homosexuality were/are shaped.  This is an extremely general and brief introduction to an issue that could easily fuel a number of extensive research projects.  It is based largely on my own (insufficient) research and experiences, and I would greatly appreciate new perspectives on the issue. 

There are perhaps three dimensions of the issue to explore:

1)      Religion: Just as religion is seen as a conservative force in the West, many Chinese also see religion as a part of tradition.  Moreover, much like Christianity in the West, most Chinese religions condemn homosexuality.  While beliefs differ from school to school, many Buddhist scriptures condemn homosexual intercourse.  While some have argued that Buddhism’s view of all sexuality (indeed, all forms of pleasure) is disapproving, homosexuality in particular is stigmatized; some Buddhists argue that homosexuals must be reborn as straight human beings before they can reach enlightenment.  Likewise, Taoism’s view of homosexuality varies from denomination to denomination, but typically views such intercourse as ‘immoral’.  While Taoist scripture does not proscribe homosexuality as strictly as Buddhist scripture does, Taoism’s focus on the balance of ‘Yin and Yang’ and ‘Male and Female’ led many to believe that homosexuality was simply ‘unnatural’, or ‘counter to the natural order’.

2)      Culture: While religion set the foundation for anti-homosexual sentiment in China, many of these influences have simply become integrated into ‘Chinese culture’; they are not defined in a strictly religious sense.  Chinese opposed to gay marriage would very rarely refer to ancient Buddhist texts or religious precepts (the way American demonstrators would).  Rather, they might simply state that they find homosexuality to be ‘unnatural’ or ‘just wrong’, as if they were referring to something so obvious and widely accepted as ‘stealing is wrong’.  While Westerners may scoff at this judgment, it is important to remember that Chinese who refer to this ‘feeling’ are not simply brushing aside the question.  Rather, they are basing their beliefs on various traditions, principles, and ideas that permeate and shape Chinese society (some of which are rooted in religious tradition).  A Westerner may be perplexed to hear a Chinese say he or she is atheist, only to go on to decry homosexuality as unnatural.  Motivated by cultural forces that are based in both religious doctrine and centuries-old tradition, the Chinese debate on homosexuality is very different from the dialogue occurring in the US (which can be more clearly traced to religious doctrine).

3)      Contemporary society: Finally, much like their peers in the US, homosexuals may feel pressured to marry because of how they are perceived in society.  While the effectiveness of non-discrimination laws in the US may be contested, it is worth noting that China has no equivalent of these statutes.  Thus, many Chinese, particularly ambitious men who are going into business or politics, may feel pressured to marry for the sake of appearances.  More importantly, the continuation of the family line is incredibly important in Chinese society (ie the Confucian emphasis on filial piety and ancestor worship).  Homosexual individuals may feel compelled to marry and have children simply to please their parents (a frustrated heterosexual couple, in order to avoid the ire of their parents, may agree to postpone the divorce until after their parents have passed away).  Some homosexual individuals will seek out a member of the opposite sex who is also homosexual, thus allowing both children to please their parents while pursuing romantic relationships outside of their paper marriage.  For Chinese, who live in a much more tightly knit and connected society, coming out and burning bridges with family and friends may not be an option.

      In Taiwan, LGBT activists have met with more success than their peers in Mainland China (where homosexuality is still a taboo topic).  However, there is still political opposition to their cause, and their work is hardly done.

Taiwanese Gay Rights groups demonstrate in front of the presidential palace for the right to marry

Last updated September 7, 2013, GMT 4:06 PM.

The protest was known as the Table of Partners or ‘Banzhuo’, a pun on ‘office desk’.  Here, it refers to a wedding reception.

Taiwanese gay, bisexual, and transsexual rights groups, demanding legal reform, demonstrated in front of the presidential palace in Taibei by holding a mock wedding celebration.

Fighting for gay, bisexual, and transsexual rights (simplified as LGBT in English), the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership expressed its demands by setting up one-hundred and twenty tables on Ketagalan Boulevard.

The TAPCP stated that it has been nearly three years since the draft to amend the Civil Code was brought to lawmakers and the courts.  Its contents included the right for gay, bisexual, and transsexual individuals to marry, legal recognition of these partnerships and households, and the right to adopt.

In addition to the statements of those present, well known entertainers also offered their support.

The sponsors stated that the goal of the movement was to challenge the way current laws define marriage purely in heterosexual terms.  They are demanding that all laws and regulations that read ‘male and female’ be changed to ‘two people’, protecting the equal rights of gay, bisexual, and transsexual individuals.

Wu Zhiyi, a transgendered individual attending the protest, told BBC Chinese that, in Taiwan, the government stipulates that transgendered individuals must undergo surgery to change their sex, unlike many European countries which use psychological identification.

Wu Zhiyi said that this kind of law violates two of the UN’s human rights conventions.

Although Taiwanese LGBT individuals admit that much progress has been made the past few years, many conservative groups still strongly oppose LGBT rights.

Besides religious groups, there are also political figures whom do not support the right of LGBT individuals to marry, believing that it is ‘immoral’ and ‘unnatural’.

Many years ago, Taiwanese lawmakers once tried to propose legal reform that would give LGBT individuals the right to marry and legal recognition of partnerships, but the draft was struck down by conservative groups during deliberation.

Journalist: Wei Ke

Translated by: Paul Orner