Connecting Taiwan and the World through LGBTQ+ Rights

The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to invite you to a panel discussion titled “Connecting Taiwan and the World through LGBTQ+ Rights.”

Taiwan has steadily been distinguishing itself as a free and open democracy that champions human rights, to include LGBTQ+ rights—as seen in Taiwan’s 2019 legalization of same-sex marriage, which placed the island at the forefront of LGBTQ+ rights issues among states in Asia. This has also been accompanied by the emergence of Taiwan’s “tongzhi” (同志) people-to-people diplomacy, which has allowed Taiwan to leverage its protection of LGBTQ+ rights to enhance its international reputation, to strengthen connections with like-minded allies that value LGBTQ+ rights, and to build new civil society partnerships. Moreover, Taiwan’s success in legalizing same-sex marriage has led some to wonder if Taiwanese activists could help regional activists advance same-sex marriage legalization initiatives within their own countries. Placing Taiwan within a global context, this panel will aim to look at current challenges that Taiwan’s LGBTQ+ activists still face in Taiwan, and how this landscape influences—and is influenced by—global partnerships.

With a panel consisting of academics and practitioners, Sean Sih-Cheng Du (Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association) will begin our panel by outlining the work of Taiwan’s LGBTQ+ activists, and the strategies used in Taiwan to push forward LGBTQ+ rights. Addressing how gender representation in politics relates to policy changes, Young-Im Lee (California State University, Sacramento) will then discuss the role of female leaders in advocating for same-sex marriage. Then, turning the focus to transnational concerns, Whitney Pfeifer (Outright international) will discuss partnerships between Taiwan and Southeast Asia, and her work with Outright International’s Global LGBTQI+ Inclusive Democracy and Empowerment (GLIDE) Initiative; and Ying-Chao Kao (Virginia Commonwealth University) will present his research regarding the flow of anti-LGBTQ+ movements between the United States and Taiwan.

The event will be held at GTI’s office located at 1836 Jefferson Place NW in Washington DC. Doors will open at 11:30 AM, and the event will begin at 12:00 PM. If you plan on attending in-person, please RSVP by November 4, as seating is limited. Light refreshments will be provided. Please direct questions or concerns to Program Manager Adrienne Wu at [email protected].

**Media: Please contact Adrienne Wu at [email protected] if you would like to bring additional crew members or equipment, so that we can be sure to accommodate you.