Activists urge shift in views on sexual identity

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on September 6, 2006. It reports that gay rights activists in Taiwan recently launched a campaign and urged members of the public to write a letter to their current or former teachers and ask that they alter their attitudes on sexual identity.

According to the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association, most teachers in Taiwan tend to use negative expressions when referring to gays and lesbians. Most schools on all levels deny the existence of homosexuality. Many teachers even have negative opinions of homosexuals, which often leads to discrimination against gays and lesbians in schools.

For example, teachers often make remarks such as, "Act like a man if you are a man, act like a women if you are a woman" - which results in stereotyping of homosexuality as "abnormal" and "not healthy".

The truth is that homosexuals want to be visible and to be cared for. Indeed, the letter campaign seeks to elicit respect from teachers for homosexuals, and to encourage gays and lesbians to come out of the closet. It is hoped that the letter campaign will help teachers recognize the existence of homosexuals in schools and show more concern for them.

According to the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association, surveys show that homosexuals account for 5 to 10 percent of Taiwan's population. This indicates that there are about two to three million homosexuals in Taiwan.