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28
Aug 2003
Dear
Sir/Madam,
The
Hong Kong Sex Education Association would like to express our
deepest concern with the case of Professor CY Ho (National
Central Universal Center for the study of Sexualities), who is
sued for “distributing” obscene information on the
Internet.
Professor
Ho is an internationally famous sexologist who has also fought
for female rights. From her published research reports,
theses, and performance in the sexology field, we have no
doubt that she is a serious worker, and possesses long term
aspirations in improving current sex education and sexual
equality issues. We feel deeply proud and honoured to have her
as our colleague. We believe that it is highly unlikely that
she would “distribute” obscene information or pursue
similar acts.
Throughout
our sex education and sex research experiences, we know that
due to the need for research and education, it is necessary
sometimes to use words, sayings, diagrams or videos to explain
topics of traditional taboos. This can easily be misunderstood
as distributing obscene information. Since there are laws in
our society to monitor and control sexual explicitness in
media, unnecessary litigation will easily arise. Some people
with ulterior motives will even use the law as a means to
eliminate dissidents or oppositional viewpoints. We sincerely
request relevant authorities to handle Professor Ho’s case
carefully and fairly, to avoid exploitation by monarchs in
sexual politics. It would be a tragedy for Taiwan and the
world to lose a valuable sexology scholar like Professor
Ho.
The
Declaration for Sexual Rights, released by the World
Association for Sexology in 1999, has been adopted by the
World Health Organization as a guide for all countries to set
up policy for sexual health and sex education. Among the
eleven basic sexual rights in the Declaration, were the rights
to sexual information t and sex education. According to sexual
information rights, a responsible government should allow her
citizens to have free access to sexual information. Likewise,
a Government should give her citizens the opportunity of
having a rounded sex education. “Rounded" means no
forbidden zone that could obstruct the improvement of sex
knowledge and attitudes. These guidelines may perhaps serve as
a useful reference in the judgment of Professor Ho’s
case.
With
best regards,
The
Hong Kong Sex Education Association
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