On the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Gender Equity Education Act (性別平等教育法), Vice President and president-elect William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said creating an environment in which everyone can respect other people’s gender expression, gender identity and sexual orientation is his expectation for a multidiversified Taiwan, and the best way to commemorate “Rose Boy” Yeh Yung-chih (葉永鋕).
On April 20, 2000, Yeh, a senior at Gao Shu Junior High School in Pingtung County, was found lying in a pool of blood on the floor of a school bathroom.
He later died in a hospital.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Yeh reportedly would go to the bathroom during class time instead of during recess to avoid bullying by his classmates over his perceived “effeminate” demeanor.
Yeh’s story inspired a pop song by Jolin Tsai (蔡依林), Womxnly (玫瑰少年, meaning “Rose Boy”) in 2018, which won Song of the Year at the 2019 Golden Melody Awards.
“Have you heard the story of ‘Rose Boy’ Yeh Yung-chih?” Lai wrote on Facebook yesterday, adding that according to Yeh’s mother, Chen Chun-ju (陳君汝), Yeh was an attentive and considerate boy, but was bullied for being “too effeminate.”
To prevent being bullied by schoolmates, he would ask to use the bathroom during class, five minutes before recess, Lai said.
However, on one of those occasions in his senior year of junior-high school, he did not return, Lai wrote.
Yeh’s death brought infinite pain to his family, but also triggered a nationwide discussion on gender equity education, Lai said, adding that the Ministry of Education in 2000 changed its Gender Equality Education Committee to be the Gender Equity Education Committee, and passed the Gender Equity Education Act in 2004.
Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the act becoming law and the second Gender Equality Education Day, Lai said.
The government has put a lot of effort into gender equity education in the past few years, hoping to help society — starting with schools — better understand the gender spectrum, he said.
Separately, the Ministry of Education held an opening ceremony for its Gender Equity Education Act 20th Anniversary Exhibition titled “ROOM XX: Everything Stems from a Lavatory” at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei.
The exhibition, which features the color purple, runs through Sunday next week.
The ceremony was attended by Control Yuan member Fan Sun-lu (范巽綠), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Ariel Chang (張雅琳) and former legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女).
Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said in a speech that the Gender Equity Education Act has been amended five times in the past two decades, and while it took a long time to get to where it is today, it helps children learn about gender equity while protecting them and expanding the safety net of gender equity to protect children and allow them to grow up safely.
Exhibition curator Lu Ming-Chen (呂明蓁), an assistant professor at National University of Tainan, said that a two-day forum yesterday and today focuses on implementation of the act and its role in school curricula, challenges in education, female leadership and other gender-related discussions.
The discussions would be short, and people who are interested in gender equity issues are welcome to attend, she said.
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