One hundred paper tombstones with the names of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender (LGBT) people who committed suicide — most at a young age — after experiencing discrimination, bullying or violent attacks were erected in front of the Presidential Office Building yesterday, in a rally to advocate respect for LGBT human rights.
Holding white signs reading: “How many more have to die?” dozens of supporters attended a demonstration rally held by the Lobby Alliance for LGBT Human Rights on International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, on Ketagalan Boulevard yesterday.
“I only stand here representing the living LGBT people. We are not mourning, but paying a tribute to you [the names on the graves]. Your death reflects the injustice of this world, and your death is a stern protest to the world,” alliance convener Wang An-i (王安頤) said.
Photo: Hsieh Wen-hua, Taipei Times
They spoke as a cellist and a violinist performed the theme song from the film Schindler’s List that portrayed the life of German businessman Oskar Schindler, who saved more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
“How many more have to die to shake this cold and indifferent world, how many have to die before another ‘Schindler’ is found in Taiwan, who hears their cries in the corner and give them warmth?” alliance spokesperson Chen Chia-chun (陳嘉君) said.
“The alliance chose to use the graves to help the public understand the reality of how people’s ignorance, bias or misunderstanding [against LGBT people] can deprive people of their lives,” Chen said, adding that there is a QR code on each grave that has a link to the life story of each victim.
Lawyer Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said self-affirmation often comes from recognition from others, but although heterosexuals may not feel doubted by the society, LGBT people often feel insecure as a result of other people’s ridicule or denial.
Alliance secretary-general Zoe Shen (沈盈君) said: “Mom and dad, how much I long for you to look at me again, to hug me, to love me more. I felt love in your arms when you put me to sleep, when you fed me and played with me … but these gradually disappeared. I feel pain and helplessness, I cannot climb out of the abyss or bare all this because we are not suited to live in this world.”
Wu Hsin-en (吳馨恩), a 17-year-old transgender woman holding a sign that read: “We are only different from you,” cried as she listened to Shen read aloud the imaginary confession of the victims.
Wu said that the words invoked her painful memories of being called “perverted,” “disobedient” and being scolded by her grandfather, which caused her to run away from home, after which she became a victim of sexual assault and was not allowed to return home.
“Actually, it’s not that we [transgender people] identify with ‘a different type of gender,’ because the gender we identify with is the same as half the world’s population,” she said, “It’s just that we aren’t accepted for identifying with the gender of people born with the other physical attributes.”
“We will always meet people that we don’t understand, but at least ‘respect’ them before we try to understand them,” she said.
Chen said the alliance has approached the Ministry of Education, hoping to give lectures on human rights to elementary to high school students, because they believe when young people learn to respect other people and basic human rights, they will know not to harm other people, even if they are different.
She added they will also approach lawmakers and encourage them not only to state their attitude towards amending laws to support LGBT rights, but will also monitor their actions.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS