First lady Wu Shu-chen (
Wu joined several civic groups, including the League of Taiwan Women (台灣女人連線), the Taipei Association for the Promotion of Women's Rights (台北市女性權益促 進會), the Commission on Women's Rights Promotion, the Anti-Child-Prostitution Association, the Taiwan Children's Rights Association (台灣兒童人權協會) and the National Breast Cancer Association, for an end-of-year tea party yesterday.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Wu shared her experiences and feelings on public service with the groups and gave those present a book about her trip to the US in 2002 as well as hand-made red pouches as Lunar New Year gifts.
In her speech, Wu encouraged retired women in their fifties, especially those who had served as public officials, to contribute to the community and not waste their lives shopping, losing weight or playing mahjong.
"I know many women who retire are still healthy and energetic," Wu said. "Take myself, for example, although I have been disabled by a serious car accident, I have lived strongly. Serving as a volunteer for minority groups makes me happier."
"I encourage retired women to use their lives well and make lives meaningful. Otherwise it is easy to suffer depression latee in life," Wu said.
Wu's humor and witty words won applause and laughter from the audience.
Wu also condemned men who hit their wives and children as "useless." She said difficulties and bad luck in life were unavoidable, but hurting members of the family constituted the worst behavior.
Although Wu did not mention the presidential election, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津), also the head of the DPP's Department for Development of Women's Rights, which organized the tea party, said she hoped women could play an influential role in their families' voting behavior.
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