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Groups publish top 10 abuses

Civic group representatives yesterday reveal the top 10 incidents that violated gender and sexuality rights this year. PHOTO: CHENG HSUEH-YUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

Civic groups yesterday revealed the top-10 incidents that violated gender and sexuality rights this year in the hope of advocating rights that have long been neglected by the public.

Wang Ping (王蘋), director-general of the Gender/Sexuality Rights Association of Taiwan, said that when it came to sexual issues, rights cease to exist altogether.

The new Web site ratings system, launched on Oct. 25, topped the list of violations.

The system, in accordance with Child and Juvenile Welfare Law (兒童及青少年福利法), was originally designed to protect children from adult Web sites, but is in fact poorly designed, the groups said.

Instead, the system has caused Web sites to ban male swimwear photos and not accept registrations of gay and adult chatrooms, Wang said. This is also a violation of information exchange rights and communication rights, she added.

The method also grossly violates adult sexuality rights in the country, because society has become "child-oriented," said Josephine Ho (何春蕤), a professor of the Center for the Study of Sexualities at National Central University.

"The social space of adults has shrunk and now there cannot be anything `adult,'" Ho said.

The law has now crossed the line by interfering with personal life and personal rights, Ho added.

The groups also called for the abolishment of Article 235 of the Criminal Law (刑法), which bans the sale or distribution of indecent material.

Also appearing on the top-ten list was the case of J.J. Lai (賴正哲), the owner of Gin Gin's Bookstore, who was charged this month by the Keelung District Court for selling gay magazines imported from Hong Kong after appealing for the second time.

"While the UK and other countries are opening up to gay marriages, Taiwan is `democratic' yet punishing me for selling so-called `indecent' magazines," Lai said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) also expressed support for the banning of Article 235, and said that the government should first clearly define the term "indecent."

It was ironic that pornographic VCDs and DVDs manufactured in Taiwan are allowed to be exported, while the selling or distribution of them is banned in the country, Wang said.

Another incident that sparked great discontent among the groups was the banning of under-aged betel nut beauties because they were scantily clad.

The punishment of these betel nut beauties indicates a bias towards certain jobs, the groups said.

Many showgirls at car shows and information exhibitions are under-aged and dressed in skimpy outfits, but they are not restricted from doing their jobs, Wang said.

Also on the list were incidents where girls were forced to wear skirts in school, the banning of blood donations from gay donors and condoms being listed as "medical supplies."
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