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21 May 2015

Mixed response to Kaohsiung's recognition of same-sex relationships

Kaohsiung becomes the first city in Taiwan to allow registration of gay couples, but some activists dismiss it as a hollow gesture

Tseng Tzu-wen, who is the director-general of Kaohsiung's civil affairs bureau, said: 'Kaohsiung City, to show respect and good will toward pluralist culture, will allow those from the community to mark their partner in its household registration and conscription information system for the consolations of hearts before laws are revised.'
Residents will be able to register with their identity cards and proof of relationship but Tzu-wen admitted that it was mainly symbolic as the civil code only recognizes marriage as between a man and woman. She described them as 'sunlight registrations.'
The idea is that the registration will mean that public services, including the police, hospitals and the justice system who access household registrations, will go to partners as legal representatives for their spouses. One such application would be informing them of arrest or giving consent for emergency surgery.
However, the Taiwan LGBT Rights Advocacy called a press conference on Tuesday in which they dismissed the idea that the new notation would allow the community to gain more respect legally and in city affairs. Chen Chih-ming, a spokesman for the group, described this positive reaction as 'not true.' He went on to say the registrations were not 'sunshine making' but 'closet marking' and that the move was to 'make fun of' the community.
Chen also noted that after asking the city government, it learned that the information will have no legal affect in any medical institutions. Furthemore, Chen pointed out that only in Taipei and Taoyuan are members of the LGBT community allowed to take part in mass weddings even though the CIvil Code was revised in 2007 to position mass weddings as a blessing from the city government.
Tseng Tzu-wen responded to the group's complaints by pledging to work harder to give the measure a legal basis, as the nation's Civil Code still only recognizes heterosexual marriages. She said that the registrations were a 'friendly gesture.'
Tseng Tzu-wen, who is the director-general of Kaohsiung's civil affairs bureau, said: 'Kaohsiung City, to show respect and good will toward pluralist culture, will allow those from the community to mark their partner in its household registration and conscription information system for the consolations of hearts before laws are revised.'

Residents will be able to register with their identity cards and proof of relationship but Tzu-wen admitted that it was mainly symbolic as the civil code only recognizes marriage as between a man and woman. She described them as 'sunlight registrations.'

The idea is that the registration will mean that public services, including the police, hospitals and the justice system who access household registrations, will go to partners as legal representatives for their spouses. One such application would be informing them of arrest or giving consent for emergency surgery.

However, the Taiwan LGBT Rights Advocacy called a press conference on Tuesday in which they dismissed the idea that the new notation would allow the community to gain more respect legally and in city affairs. Chen Chih-ming, a spokesman for the group, described this positive reaction as 'not true.' He went on to say the registrations were not 'sunshine making' but 'closet marking' and that the move was to 'make fun of' the community.

Chen also noted that after asking the city government, it learned that the information will have no legal affect in any medical institutions. Furthemore, Chen pointed out that only in Taipei and Taoyuan are members of the LGBT community allowed to take part in mass weddings even though the CIvil Code was revised in 2007 to position mass weddings as a blessing from the city government.

Tseng Tzu-wen responded to the group's complaints by pledging to work harder to give the measure a legal basis, as the nation's Civil Code still only recognizes heterosexual marriages. She said that the registrations were a 'friendly gesture.'

Reader's Comments

1. 2015-05-23 17:08  
Respect on both sides = progress


"but some activists dismiss it as a hollow gesture"
Some activists are complete nasty idiots
2. 2015-05-24 00:21  
The most important 'milestone' for all Chinese people in its social development of modern time - 2015 for Kaohsiung :)

Other cities in Asia, please catch up!
3. 2015-05-24 15:46  
Just the cities?
Comment #4 was deleted by its author on 2015-05-25 00:43
5. 2015-05-25 13:57  
My God, *of course* there are "mixed responses". On our side, can't we just call this great *progress* for love and gender equality?
6. 2015-05-26 10:51  
Every step forward is progress - all we can do is hope and fight for equality in other areas.
7. 2015-05-26 19:33  
I might be missing something but it sounds like Tseng Tzu-wen is reaching out? Why does the Taiwan LGBT Rights Advocacy not think so?
8. 2015-05-28 02:39  
Unfortunately the Taiwan LGBT Rights Advocacy, as with other activist groups elsewhere, refuse to compromise and won't accept anything less than full and equal legal rights. In practice, that's not how effective diplomacy nor democracy works.
9. 2015-05-28 22:33  
Nothing can be compromised as one being 'himself' or 'herself' is his or her basic human rights!

Similarly for gay marriage, one to get marry to the one he or she loves is his or her basic human rights too! Just imagine if you ask your parents not to get marry, would they agree?

When issues are related to BASIC human rights, who cares about effective diplomacy or democracy?

On the other hand, there are things which could be compromised such as one's job. One can choose not to work as a spy, but change to a new career...
Comment edited on 2015-05-28 22:54:59

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