On Saturday, a record 123,000 people reportedly marched through the streets of Taipei in an annual parade that since it was first held in 2003 has advocated for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Unlike previous events, this year’s parade, which attracted participants not only from across Taiwan, but from all of Asia, was infused with a celebratory ambience.
Indeed, this year has been a year of celebration, thanks to the unprecedented Council of Grand Justices’ Interpretation No. 748 issued in May, which guarantees the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan within two years.
However, as Taiwan enjoys its hard-earned accolades as a beacon for progressive values and equal rights in Asia, on the other side of the social spectrum, a lawmaker is on the brink of being recalled because of his support for same-sex marriage.
The Central Election Commission on Tuesday announced that a recall drive initiated against New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) by head of an anti-LGBT group, Greater Taipei Stability Power Alliance chairman Sun Chi-cheng (孫繼正), had met all the requirements for a recall election, which has been set for Dec. 16.
According to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), Huang, who was in 2014 elected in the 12th electoral district of New Taipei City, is to be removed from office if 25 percent or more of the total eligible voters in his constituency vote in favor of his ouster — which would require about 62,700 voters.
When the drive was first launched last year, it was shrugged off by both Huang and his supporters. Trying to recall a lawmaker for advocating gay marriage in this century seems as preposterous as attempting to remove a female public office holder simply because she is a woman.
The bottom line is that few people thought the recall drive would make it this far.
To bolster its justification for seeking Huang’s removal, the alliance lists a total of seven reasons why it initiated the recall drive, including his failure to denounce Japan during fishing rights disputes and allegations that he was romantically involved with female students when he taught at the National University of Kaohsiung.
The overarching theme is what the alliance has called Huang’s “deliberate concealment” of his support for same-sex marriage when running for legislative office.
It also accuses the NPP lawmaker of neglecting his unfulfilled campaign promises and rigorously pushing for an agenda that could “dispute our national growth, as well as family traditions and structure.”
Although Huang’s electoral district accounts for only a fraction of the nation’s voting population, the fact that the drive made it to the final stage serves as a warning that some sectors of Taiwanese society continue to be dominated by conservative and discriminatory values.
If the recall drive succeeds, how will the international community perceive our nation? Will Taiwan continue to be considered a leading promoter of universal equality, human rights and democratic practices in Asia?
Legalizing same-sex marriage is perhaps one of a few things that could put a marginalized nation such as Taiwan on the map. Against this background, the recall election is really a test of the nation’s collective wisdom and values. Let us keep our fingers crossed.
The bird flu outbreak at US dairy farms keeps finding alarming new ways to surprise scientists. Last week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that H5N1 is spreading not just from birds to herds, but among cows. Meanwhile, media reports say that an unknown number of cows are asymptomatic. Although the risk to humans is still low, it is clear that far more work needs to be done to get a handle on the reach of the virus and how it is being transmitted. That would require the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to get
For the incoming Administration of President-elect William Lai (賴清德), successfully deterring a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attack or invasion of democratic Taiwan over his four-year term would be a clear victory. But it could also be a curse, because during those four years the CCP’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will grow far stronger. As such, increased vigilance in Washington and Taipei will be needed to ensure that already multiplying CCP threat trends don’t overwhelm Taiwan, the United States, and their democratic allies. One CCP attempt to overwhelm was announced on April 19, 2024, namely that the PLA had erred in combining major missions
On April 11, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech at a joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington, in which he said that “China’s current external stance and military actions present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge … to the peace and stability of the international community.” Kishida emphasized Japan’s role as “the US’ closest ally.” “The international order that the US worked for generations to build is facing new challenges,” Kishida said. “I understand it is a heavy burden to carry such hopes on your shoulders,” he said. “Japan is already standing shoulder to shoulder
Former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) used to push for reforms to protect Taiwan by adopting the “three noes” policy as well as “Taiwanization.” Later, then-president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) wished to save the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) by pushing for the party’s “localization,” hoping to compete with homegrown political parties as a pro-Taiwan KMT. However, the present-day members of the KMT do not know what they are talking about, and do not heed the two former presidents’ words, so the party has suffered a third consecutive defeat in the January presidential election. Soon after gaining power with the help of the KMT’s