Gay rights activists yesterday gathered at 228 Peace Park and called for the abolition of Article 235 of the Criminal Law (
Wang Ping (
Wang said that homosexual rights are heavily restricted and gays are often described as "obscene" and "perverts."
PHOTO: CHENG HSUEH-YUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
J.J. Lai (
Lai has also appealed to the Council of Grand Justices on the constitutionality of Article 235, which bans the sale, circulation and public display of obscene publications.
Unfazed by the failed appeals, Lai said: "This is a chance for gay rights activists to challenge the law and see that changes are made."
An alliance of gay and gender rights groups has also been formed to challenge the article.
The terms "indecent" and "obscene" should be clearly defined, because judges were allowed too much discretion to decide what constitutes obscenity, Lai said.
Academics in the alliance also discovered that Article 235 dates back to 1922, he said.
Lai said that it was high time for the article to be abolished.
"Sexual rights should not be under the control of the government. They cannot regulate what you can or cannot read, or whether what you read is `obscene' or not," Lai said.
The alliance plans to launch an "Abolish Article 235" movement on June 27 to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1969.
The Stonewall riots were a series of violent conflicts between homosexuals and police officers in New York City. The first night of rioting began on June 27, 1969, when police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village.
The incident is generally considered a turning point for the modern gay rights movement worldwide since it marked the first time that a significant number of homosexuals resisted arrest and fought back.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS