Two groups yesterday called for greater understanding of LGBT people in response to comments made by former Miaoli County commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻).
Speaking at a campaign event earlier yesterday for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chih-jung (徐志榮), Liu said he is “very worried” that one day he would have to ask his son: “Are you marrying a man or a woman?”
The surname on his family’s ancestral tablet is Liu, he said, asking: “In the future, would it be changed?”
Photo: Copy by Cheng Ming-hsiang, Taipei Times
“President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), it is fine if you do not want to get married,” he said.
“Do not jeopardize so many people,” he added.
Commenting on Liu’s remarks, Garden of Hope Foundation chief executive officer Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容) said that gender should not be binary.
Gender qualities, gender identity and sexual orientation are all diverse, she said, adding that the choice of each individual regarding their gender is a human right.
Under the traditional gender binary, many children are excluded by society, Chi said, adding that not only do they struggle in life, but they could also be bullied.
If parents cannot accept the gender identity of their children, those children become even less confident, she said.
Gender education was only introduced in the past few years, Chi said.
As a result, it is easy for children to accept LGBT groups, but difficult for older people to do the same, she said.
She urges parents to “relax” and proceed from a point of love for their children, and understand and accept them, Chi said.
LGBT people existed before same-sex marriage was legalized, Equal Love Taiwan public relations manager Lee Cheng-han (李政翰) said.
Politicians should not use gender issues to “smear” or criticize candidates ahead of the elections, he said.
Many people in society still do not understand LGBT people, but listen to and believe false information, and misunderstand gender equality education, he said.
If parents have questions about these issues or the content in elementary school textbooks, they can consult the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ) Hotline Association or Equal Love Taiwan, he said.
KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Cheng Mei-hua (程美華) said that the party respects everyone’s opinions on the matter.
Additional reporting by Lin Liang-sheng
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it