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.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
Three tropical depressions yesterday intensified into tropical storms, with one likely to affect Taiwan as a typhoon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The three storms, named Mitag, Ragasa and Neoguri, were designated as storms No. 17 to 19 for this year, the CWA said. Projected routes indicate that Ragasa is most likely to affect Taiwan, it said. As of 2am today, Ragasa was 1,370km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan. It was moving west-northwest before turning northwest, slowing from 11kph to 6kph, the agency said. A sea warning for Ragasa is unlikely before Sunday afternoon, but its outer rim
RSS