A Golden Bell Award winner has drawn ire for saying after the award ceremony that gay people will cause the destruction of humankind because of their “inability to procreate.”
After winning Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film on Saturday evening, Christian actor Li Tien-chu (李天柱) led the audience in prayer rather than giving an acceptance speech.
In an interview following the awards, Li said that he does not support homosexual relationships, adding that homosexuality will be the “destruction of humankind.”
Social Democratic Party spokesman Miao Bo-ya (苗博雅) criticized Li on Facebook, saying: “There are many types of relationships in which couples cannot reproduce, where is the logic in singling out homosexuals?”
“The cause of population decline is not homosexuality, it is a declining birthrate among heterosexual couples,” Miao wrote.
Miao said that if Li is truly concerned about the birthrate, he should petition the government to improve social services supporting new families, adding that this might allow young people to consider having children and give them the funds to raise children.
“Maybe I should congratulate Li on his win, but this is a tax-supported award, and the use of the public’s attention at this time to discriminate against others is something I, as a public servant, must condemn,” Miao said.
“Homosexual relationships have existed since early Greek civilization. If homosexuality causes the destruction of humankind, then what species are you?” exiled Chinese democracy activist Wang Dan (王丹) said on Facebook.
Wang said that if such comments were made at the Academy Awards in the US, the speaker would be booed off the stage, but when similar comments are made in Taiwan nobody protests.
“I guess this is evidence that there is still much room for progress in becoming a civilized society,” Wang said.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
Instead of focusing solely on the threat of a full-scale military invasion, the US and its allies must prepare for a potential Chinese “quarantine” of Taiwan enforced through customs inspections, Stanford University Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann said in a Foreign Affairs article published on Wednesday. China could use various “gray zone” tactics in “reconfiguring the regional and ultimately the global economic order without a war,” said Freymann, who is also a nonresident research fellow at the US Naval War College. China might seize control of Taiwan’s links to the outside world by requiring all flights and ships entering or leaving Taiwan
The first of 10 new high-capacity trains purchased from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem arrived at the Port of Taipei yesterday to meet the demands of an expanding metro network, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said yesterday. The train completed a three-day, 1,200km voyage from the Port of Masan in South Korea, the company said. Costing NT$590 million (US$18.79 million) each, the new six-carriage trains feature a redesigned interior based on "human-centric" transportation concepts, TRTC said. The design utilizes continuous longitudinal seating to widen the aisles and optimize passenger flow, while also upgrading passenger information displays and driving control systems for a more comfortable
Taiwan's first indigenous defense submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), departed for its 13th sea trial at 7am today, marking its seventh submerged test, with delivery to the navy scheduled for July. The outing also marked its first sea deployment since President William Lai (賴清德) boarded the submarine for an inspection on March 19, drawing a crowd of military enthusiasts who gathered to show support. The submarine this morning departed port accompanied by CSBC Corp’s Endeavor Manta (奮進魔鬼魚號) uncrewed surface vessel and a navy M109 assault boat. Amid public interest in key milestones such as torpedo-launching operations and overnight submerged trials,
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