A male DPP legislator was splashed with water by a female KMT legislator yesterday after he allegedly swore at several female legislators.
The incident occurred during the legislature's national affairs forum when DPP Legislator Cheng Tsao-min (
In the conversation, the supporter wanted three female legislators to stop their verbal attacks against President Chen Shui-bian (
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
However afterwards, Cheng argued that this was an instance that proves that politicians cannot expect the people to behave well when they have not set a good example themselves.
Though Cheng did not address the three female legislators by their full names and used only the final characters of their names, his speech immediately stirred strong reaction from KMT Legislator Kuo Su-chun (
Kuo wanted Cheng to give her an explanation why the abusive language was used against her, but Cheng insisted that he only quoted what his supporter had told him.
Unsatisfied with the explanation, Kuo tossed a cup of water in Cheng's face in anger, continuing to yell at him saying, "I am a teacher, what do you think you're saying?"
While many opposition legislators came to Kuo's support and asked Cheng to apologize to the female legislators, a group of KMT female legislators called a press conference condemning Cheng for the "severe insult against women."
Most female legislators considered yesterday's incident as yet another example of "provocative acts" by male lawmakers in an apparent attempt to "bully" female lawmakers, who are perceived as being weaker.
"Though the incident might not have a definite connection with sex, it is related to a mentality in which people tend to bully the weak," said People First Party Legislator Chin Hui-chu (
Chin said the Legislative Yuan is a place ruled by "the law of the jungle."
"Women are not necessarily weaker, but they can be weaker relatively," Chin said.
On the other hand, the female legislators admitted that while female politicians may not be weaker than their male counterparts, they tend to receive more sympathy in incidents involving conflicts with men.
"This is because of the traditional notion that `a righteous man does not fight with women,'" KMT Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (
Male legislators, meanwhile, agreed that female legislators' status as a women may be a shield in some ways.
"Most female legislators are in fact very tough, but they always take advantage of their feminist traits and sometimes go too far," DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (
For example, Wang said, women politicians may use tears to win sympathy.
"I don't even get close to female lawmakers for fear that other misunderstandings or problems could arise," Wang said. "I am very afraid to."
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