MANY CHALLENGES: The European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan wrote that there is no room for complacency in the pursuit of universal human rights
Staff writer, with CNA
The representative offices of several Western countries in Taiwan yesterday voiced support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community as the world marks International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
In a Facebook post, the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan lauded Taiwan as being “at the forefront of promoting LGBTI rights.”
There is no room for complacency in the pursuit of universal human rights, it said, adding that the LGBTI community still faces numerous challenges — such as domestic violence, hate speech online and in-person, and hate crimes — on top of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU would continue to protect and promote the full and equal enjoyment of human rights for LGBTI people, it added.
The British Office Taipei posted on Facebook photographs of its personnel holding a rainbow Union Flag to “draw people’s attention to the discrimination and violence experienced by LGBT+ people around the world.”
“Everyone shall be able to feel safe to be themselves,” it said in a message posted with the photographs.
The German Institute Taipei, the French Office in Taipei and the Australian Office in Taipei were among the other offices that expressed support for the LGBTI community on Facebook.
In response to media queries, German Institute Taipei Director-General Thomas Prinz said in a statement that “Taiwan is one of the front-runners in Asia when it comes to equal rights for LGTBI groups.”
“The annual Pride parade in Taipei is the largest event of its kind in Asia. Me and my wife participated already three times to show our support,” he said. “I also do think that Taiwanese society, especially in urban centers, is quite open minded towards alternative relationships.”
“I sincerely congratulate Taiwan for its openness and tolerance,” Prinz said, citing the support of the central and local governments for LGTBI rights, and the passage of the Act for Implementation of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 (司法院釋字第748號解釋施行法) by the Legislative Yuan in 2019, which made Taiwan the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
In 2004, a grassroots movement created IDAHOT to draw the attention of policymakers and the public to the violence and discrimination experienced by the LGBTI community, the WHO said.
The date coincides with the WHO’s removal of homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases on May 17, 1990.
