Former vice president Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday denied having made a U-turn in his stance on legalizing homosexual marriage, saying that he has always supported it.
Wu, who was elected Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman on Saturday last week, in March told reporters that same-sex marriage “gives him the creeps.”
“The family values that have been passed on for hundreds of years risk being replaced by LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] families and same-sex marriage. It is messed up,” Wu said at the time.
Wu on Tuesday posted a photograph of a rainbow on Facebook, with the caption: “May those who see this find happiness,” sparking controversy over his apparent U-turn on the issue.
Speaking at a news conference in Taipei yesterday, Wu said that his attitude toward same-sex marriage had been consistent — that he “fully supports” the issue.
Wu said he made the remarks in March because he was concerned about developments.
“If there is not enough planning and preparation, it could cause turmoil in society, which is not what the people want,” he said.
The remarks were poorly constructed and could have caused misunderstandings, he said.
“Some compatriots might have gone through different psychological developments. Society should treat them with respect and give them space,” he said.
“From the perspective of human rights, we should be more inclusive of these people. I hope that everyone will be granted the right to pursue happiness,” he said.
Wu said that he made clear in two interviews in January and last month that he was in favor of formulating a special act or adding a special article to the Civil Code to govern same-sex marriage, adding that he believes that these are the ways legislation should be carried out in accordance with Tuesday’s Constitutional Interpretation No. 748 by the Council of Grand Justices.
Asked by reporters whether it still gives him the creeps when he sees people advocating same-sex marriage, Wu said he was referring to LGBT families rather than gay marriage, adding that he lacked a thorough understanding of the issue when he made the comments.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokeswoman Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) said that the DPP was surprised to see the “Chinese white dolphin” take another turn, but commended Wu for having the courage to own up to his mistake and “turn in the right direction.”
“Chinese white dolphin” is a nickname Wu was given when he was premier for saying that the animal has an innate ability to “make turns” to avoid a landfill as part of a response to environmentalists protesting a Guoguang Petrochemical Technology Co project near the dolphins’ habitat near Taichung Harbor.
Additional reporting by Su Fang-ho
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS