鄧志堅
If you are one of those who consider homosexuality as a taboo subject,
then a series of activities that are held by gays and lesbians in public
–sponsored by the Taiwan Government—may come across as an unexpected
bomb.
In the old days, homosexuality used to be a strictly forbidden topic for
the sake of traditional concepts and values. It seems that we are
rooted to learn by instinct that homosexuality is abnormal. Besides,
what we see in our daily lives seems to also prove such prejudice.
People who admit they are homosexuals are usually excluded by the
society. In fact, once they admit their sexual orientation, they are
fated to be among the minority in our society. Their schoolmates or
colleagues hold prejudices against them and even mock them. Their
friends sever relations with them. Above all, their family can』t accept
them, scolding and punishing the latter, thinking that they are cursed
because of their abnormal sexual orientation. Being a homosexual is
considered to be much more awful than committing a crime. Many people
even link AIDS—the fatal disease—to homosexuality.
All of these negative reactions make the homosexual feel sad, lonely and
melancholy. Unlike the heterosexual couple who proudly parade their
love, homosexuals hide themselves in darkness and often have very low
self-esteem. They can only go to the underground gay bars and date very
cowardly due to the contempt from others. The pressure of their
forbidden love makes them become pessimistic and some of them choose
committing suicide to end their torture. That』s the reason why those
people who are homosexuals can only shrink at the sight of it and don』t
dare to disclose their identify even to their closest friends, let alone
their stubborn parents. And in order to cater to the expectations and
tastes of the public, they eventually get married unwillingly.
As we move into the 21st century, with the help of homosexual
activism, people are becoming aware of the importance of human rights
and we hope that all the races and classes of people can live in a more
fair and just world. With such changes, gays and lesbians are working
hard to dispel the myths and misunderstanding surrounding homosexuality.
They disclose their identities, gather and organize into new
communities and let more people learn that it』s not evil to be a
homosexual. They write books about their experiences being homosexual
and even show up on television to tell their life stories. And in
2000—the beginning of 21st century—the homosexual
organizations made their debut by holding Taipei City』s first Gay and
Lesbian Festival for three days. It』s really an encouraging scene not
only for those who have admitted that they are homosexuals already, but
also for those who are still confused about their sexual orientation.
「We want to dismiss the stereotype that gays and lesbians can only hide
in a dark corner," said Lai Yu-Lin, secretary-general of the Taiwan
Homosexual Hotline Association, which promoted homosexual civil rights
and was responsible for organizing the event. The event was held again
in 2001, sponsored by the Taipei City Government. The continuity and
success of the events show that homosexuality is more accepted by the
public now. Besides, the trend of homosexuality is also starting to
permeate the campus. More and more clubs for homosexuals or for people
who are interested in discussing the topic of homosexuality are founded
and the new generation won』t feel homosexuality is disgusting anymore!
Moreover, the Ministry of Education announces, 「We are planning to
include discussions on homosexual issues in the future Nine-Year
Educational Program to help students and parents understand and respect
others」. Above all, the homosexual organizations are requesting that the
government modify the legislature so as to safeguard their rights to
marry, adopt children and find jobs.
It seems that homosexuals have made an apparent improvement over the
past decade. Nevertheless, the traditional concepts can』t be changed
overnight. There are still a number of people thinking that homosexuals
are abnormal and classify them as the 「alien groups」. So if gays and
lesbians want to be treated equally in our society, there is still a
long way to go.