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State mulling new law to help gays to form families

Taiwan is considering a move to uphold the human rights of homosexuals by granting them permission to establish families and adopt children, an official at the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.

"In accordance with the draft of basic laws on human rights protection, the government should safeguard the human rights of homosexuals by allowing them to form families and adopt children. But this is not tantamount to marriage," said the official, adding that the draft had already been sent for review by the Executive Yuan.

"Based on the civil laws of Taiwan, marriage consists of the relationship between a man and a woman who live together permanently. When two individuals of the same gender live together it is not classified as marriage."

Responding to the newly drafted regulations, homosexual rights activists praised the government's efforts to protect the rights of homosexuals.

"It is a big breakthrough in our long struggle for gay rights," said Lai Yu-lin (賴鈺麟), secretary general of Hotline (同志諮詢熱線協會), a homosexual rights group.

But Lai also said he was disappointed that homosexual people could not attain identical rights to heterosexual couples because their right to marry is still prohibited.

"Gay people are people too, and every human being should enjoy equal rights. It is therefore discriminatory for homosexuals not to be permitted the right of marriage," he said.

Besides being deprived of marital rights, Lai said homosexuals also suffered from discrimination at work and school.

For examples, he said, homosexual students have been expelled from schools and prevented from attending classes. In offices, homosexual people have been denied job opportunities or have been sacked for their sexual orientation, according to Lai.

"These are issues that deserve urgent attention from the government," Lai said.
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