Gender rights advocacy groups yesterday condemned former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Lin I-hsiung (林義雄) over his comments that there should be special legislation for same-sex marriages, so that people do not confuse them with “traditional” marriages.
Speaking about same-sex marriage in his new book, Lin said that “Although we do not understand why people of the same sex would fall in love and develop a desire for each other, we should respect it as something private between the two people.”
He added that he believes same-sex marriage and child adoption by same-sex couples should not be banned, but it would be better if there were separate legislation for the “new type of union” so that it would not be confused with the traditional version.
Photo: CNA
“Traditionally, ‘marriage’ is defined as a union between a man and woman, but we believe that everyone — regardless of sexual orientation — should enjoy equal rights. That is why we are pushing for amending the Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage,” Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership secretary-general Chien Chih-chieh (簡至潔) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
“Since equality in the right to be married is the central idea of the campaign, we would not accept separate legislation, because such legislation would still be discrimination and putting a label on same-sex couples,” she said.
Chien said that in many nations, such as Canada and New Zealand, same-sex marriage has been legalized by revising the definition of marriage from “the union between a man and woman” to “the union between two people” in laws.
“If other countries can do it, so can we,” Chien said.
“You may think people could be separate but equal, but segregation is not equality at all,” she added.
The alliance’s executive director Victoria Hsu (許秀雯) said that having a separate law for same-sex marriages would only deepen discrimination and would not help enhance social harmony and diversity.
“Equality is not putting differences aside, but recognizing and embracing them,” she said.
Gay rights activist Shen Ying-chun (沈盈君) said that she was disappointed by Lin’s remarks.
“As a lesbian, I feel disappointed to see your [Lin’s] remarks,” Shen said. “As a respected democracy activist, do you really think it is a democratic value to put people into two different categories?”
Shih Ming-te Cultural Foundation executive board director Chen Chia-chun (陳嘉君) said that activists are worried about the impact of Lin’s remarks, as he is a respected figure in society.
“When Lin calls same-sex marriage a ‘new type of union,’ I want to correct him because homosexuality is not a new creation. It has long existed in human history, and has been recorded in ancient texts and carved onto stone plates in ancient Egypt, Greece and China,” Chen said.
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS