Gender/Sexuality

Ruling on Gay Adoption Case Sets Precedent, But Does Not Change Overall Laws

Brian Hioe
The Kaohsiung Juvenile and Family Court made a historic ruling last month, allowing a gay couple to adopt a child that neither of the two is biologically related to. At the same time, the ruling is case-specific, only applies to that couple, and does not overturn current laws in Taiwan, which only allow gay couples to jointly adopt if the child is the biological child of one of the couple...
December 2021EnglishGender/SexualitySocial Movements6 min read

Laws for Transnational Gay Marriages to be Amended for Chinese Spouses

Brian Hioe
The Mainland Affairs Council stated earlier this month that it intends to amend current laws regulating transnational gay marriages in such a manner that international marriages are recognized, including for Chinese spouses. Nevertheless, one notes that the Mainland Affairs Council already stated that it was exploring options for Chinese spouses in January 2021, meaning that the issue has dragged on for almost a year...
December 2021EnglishGender/SexualitySocial Movements5 min read

The Struggle for Transgender Rights Continues With Taiwan’s First Legal Gender Change Without Providing Proof of Surgery

Daniel Yo-Ling
A variety of events happened this past week with regards to the ongoing struggle for transgender rights in Taiwan, including Taiwan’s first successful legal gender change without submitting proof of surgery, Lisbeth Wu’s second preliminary proceedings, and the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights' second Transgender Film Festival. These gains for transgender rights have not gone unchallenged though, as the past two months have also included increasing opposition...
EnglishGender/SexualityNovember 2021Social Movements10 min read

Arrest Calls Attention to Issue of “Deepfake” Videos in Taiwan

Brian Hioe
The issue of "deepfakes" has been widely discussed in Taiwan after YouTuber "Xiao Yu" was found to be responsible for a Telegram group used to sell, commission, and circulate "deepfake" porn videos of women, who were mostly public figures. Xiao Yu, whose real name is Zhu Yu-chen, was subsequently taken into custody. Xiao Yu is primarily known for humor videos, though some of his viral stunts have caused controversy in the past...
EnglishGender/SexualityOctober 2021Social Movements5 min read

LGBTQ+ Groups Celebrate Ruling Against Surgery Requirement for Legal Gender Change

Daniel Yo-Ling
This morning at 10:00 AM the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights hosted a press conference regarding yesterday afternoon’s Taipei High Administrative Court ruling against regulations requiring proof of surgical intervention to change one’s legal gender. The historic ruling in favor of plaintiff Xiao E found existing legal gender change regulations to be unconstitutional. Assuming that this ruling does not get appealed, Xiao E will be able to change her legal gender and become Taiwan’s first transgender woman to do so without submitting proof of surgery...
EnglishGender/SexualitySeptember 2021Social Movements5 min read