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.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
Costa Rica sent a group of intelligence officials to Taiwan for a short-term training program, the first time the Central American country has done so since the countries ended official diplomatic relations in 2007, a Costa Rican media outlet reported last week. Five officials from the Costa Rican Directorate of Intelligence and Security last month spent 23 days in Taipei undergoing a series of training sessions focused on national security, La Nacion reported on Friday, quoting unnamed sources. The Costa Rican government has not confirmed the report. The Chinese embassy in Costa Rica protested the news, saying in a statement issued the same
RSS