The Alliance of Religious Groups for the Love of Families Taiwan (台灣宗教團體愛護家庭大聯盟) protested against a public hearing regarding same-sex marriage in front of the Legislative Yuan while the issue was being discussed by various authorities, yesterday.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) invited delegates from relevant government departments, associations and the academic fields to attend the public hearing in order to discuss same-sex marriage and joint child adoption by homosexual couples.
Yu dubbed this public hearing as “an equal approach to encompass everybody into the constitution.”
The alliance held a press conference in front of the Legislative Yuan's gates to challenge Yu's view, stressing that marriages should be between “a man and a woman” and that “same-sex marriages do not equal human rights for all.”
Students were also present at the press conference, protesting against same-sex marriage. These student delegates said that same-sex marriages should not be legalized, as marriages not only entail an intimate relationship between two people but the ability to reproduce as well.
Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Deputy Minister Chen Ming-tang (陳明堂) said that the MOJ does not wish to take a stand regarding the issue. Chen said that the rights of homosexual people should be protected, but the legalization of same-sex marriage cannot be rushed; legislators should amend the law cautiously
During the public hearing, Gender Education Development Association Taiwan (台灣性別教育發展協會) Secretory Kuo Ta-wei (郭大衛) said that he used to be homosexual and had many sexual partners in the past. Kuo maintained that if sexual intercourse between homosexuals is legalized, then the AIDS epidemic would be harder to contain. Kuo pointed out that he is now married and his wife is pregnant, saying that homosexuals have the option of choosing their sexual orientation.
An attorney dealing with child adoption by homosexual couples, Li Yen-jung (李晏榕), said that since traditional and religious values change over time, these values are not reasons to prevent the legalization of same-sex marriage, stressing that the law should protect the rights of the minority.
A child adoption lawsuit litigant, Ta Kuei (大龜), said that since same-sex marriage is not legal, she and her partner cannot both legally be mothers to their adopted twins, hurting Ta's rights as a parent.
[The China Post, 2014-10-17]
