Stand with Diversity

 Why are we discussing diversity

Since the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2019, the themes of Taiwan LGBT+ Pride have shed light on LGBT+ visibility, fostered understanding and respecting for others’ identities, and lobbied for greater gender equality in our daily lives. Last year, the 20th Taiwan LGBT+ Pride outlined a vision with the theme “An Unlimited Future”: “We hope to establish a diverse society where people of any identity can live freely and not bound by stereotypes.” This year with the 21st Taiwan LGBT+ Pride, not only do we strive to convey last year’s vision, but we also hope to face and combat the newfound challenges to diversity.

In the past year, bills and policies on cross-national same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption were passed and implemented. Significant progress seemed to have been made on the path of gender equality.Yet during the same year, attacks on diversity not only continued but also posed threats in new ways. For example, in May of this year, presidential candidates from a university department’s student association presented discriminatory policies which included a rule stating that “LGBT+ people and dogs shall not play Arena of Valor at the association office”. Some intended to justify their discriminatory remarks as a “joke” or as an expression of “free speech.” Others even considered these comments as “diverse opinions” that should be protected. In addition, we have seen a rise in the spread of hate speech by new online communities, to name a few, PUA (Pick Up Artist) and MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way). These communities capitalize on men’s anxiety over singlehood, and prettify misogyny, the relentless pursuit of women, and sexual harassment, all under the pretext of “liberating men from matriarchal oppression” and “rebuilding men’s confidence.” The above-mentioned discriminatory remarks no longer merely show malice, but in a more indirect and disguised way, they prompt the public to distrust and express hostility towards minority and marginalized communities, jeopardizing the diversity and inclusion of our society.

Moreover, even gender friendly people have different perceptions of diversity that come into conflict with each other.Some people might support gay rights but turn their head away when faced with issues concerning the transgender community. These people misperceive the rights of transgender individuals and women as being situated in a zero-sum game where “an advantage for one side must be an equivalent loss for the other,” refusing to further understand and acknowledge the circumstances and needs of the transgender community. Even more disappointing is the backlash provoked from the DPP’s (Democratic Progressive Party) decision to rename its Department of Women’s Development as Department of Gender Equality earlier this year (Feb. 1, 2023), with many citing this decision to be a step backwards for women’s rights. But caring about LGBT+ people and paying attention to women’s rights are both fundamental values to build a friendly society and are not mutually exclusive. Despite this, people are manipulated to see such social issues as a polarized dichotomy where “a win for the other is a loss for their own.”

In the face of these new challenges, we need to re-discuss the meaning of “diversity”, to rethink how to elaborate on the concept of diversity, and to establish an intersectional, cross-community union to combat the threats to our collective diversity.

Diversity: Crossing Dichotomy

What does “diversity” exactly mean? It actually contrasts with the concept of “dichotomy.” Although today’s society seems to value diversity and inclusiveness, people still unconsciously define categories like black / white, good / bad, and normal / abnormal within the existing model of dichotomous thinking, trying to put everything into binary categories. Besides this, those who exist out of our binary framework are often placed into arbitrary categories of “other”; for instance, the “gender” fields on surveys often only feature an “other” option besides “male” and “female,” as opposed to acknowledging the existence of non-binary genders. Similarly, sexual orientations are regarded as either heterosexual or homosexual — with “others” being the only alternative option. Despite the growing visibility of diverse communities, these individuals are still given a minority status, marginalized from mainstream communities without proper understanding and inclusion as equals . 

Besides causing communities to shrink and fall deeper into marginalization, such binary categorization can easily lead to  conflicts between the two opposing groups. With a lack of understanding, people tend to fall into greater polarization, treating the unfamiliar outgroups as “black sheep” or hostile enemies that seem to compete for resources.  As seen from the previous example, these people aren’t merely mocking others, but frame the “other” as the real culprit; some even accuse advocates of diversity of jeopardizing free speech, viciously perverting the concept of diversity to underpin their discriminatory stance or behavior. Also as seen during social discourse on equality in recent years, many criticize what they see as hegemony of the “politically correct police,” disguising their discrimination as a challenge to the hegemony, a just voice to protect free speech, and a diverse opinion that should be accepted. These groundless arguments shift the focus away from the true values of diversity and inclusion, ignoring that the pursuit of diversity and freedom should not be based on oppression of others’ rights.

Transgender issues are precisely put in a situation where the concept of dichotomous categorization is challenged and related debates oftentimes fall into polarization. Although transgender issues hold several facets to be explored (such as the unique difficulties transgender people face at school, in the workplace, or in daily life, along with issues about gender-friendly spaces), many people often target non-biological women and regard them as criminal, while framing the protection of transgender rights as an invasion of women’s spaces; this leads the public to be hostile to transgender people under the pretext of “safeguarding women's rights,” and to adopt rhetoric that spreads fear and derision against transgender women. In fact, preventing sex crimes and protecting women's right to private spaces (e.g. lavatories) should be achieved through the recognition of the universal need for safe spaces, along with the implementation of gender equity education and relevant regulations. Ironically, society’s continual adoption of the binary gender framework in public spaces not only fails to solve the problem of sex crimes, but it also fails to meet women's needs for safety while making transgender people bear the brunt of discriminatory and stereotypical accusations — For a sex offender never needs to claim to be a transgender before committing a crime, and this fact is not affected by the inclusion of transgender women in female restrooms. This discussion also ignores the existence of trans men. Trans people’s true appearance, needs, and different identities are all drowned out by hostile speculation. Trans people's desire for more gender-friendly spaces is often ridiculed, attacked, and linked to criminality, but does framing transgender individuals as a danger to women really help to create a safe space for women? We should reflect on the fact that the root cause of women and transgender people is the hostile and exclusionary social atmosphere. We should try to break away from the current framework of dichotomous thinking and recognize the different needs of diverse communities, thereby finding a middle ground of mutual support.

True diversity isn’t achieved by attacking or belittling others to highlight one’s needs and values, but by respecting each other's differences, supporting each other, and gathering everyone’s strengths to fight for the rights of all communities. This is the greatest benefit that diversity can bring, and it is also the reason why we emphasize the importance of crossing the dichotomy and embracing diversity. In our daily lives, we can see many rigid frameworks and flat, monolithic imaginations of communities that ignore the complexity of the intersectionality of identities and the possibility of unity, as opposed to hostility, as a tool to fight for our rights. True diversity should not be a black-or-white, yes-or-no question, but instead, a multiple-choice question without an absolute answer, where more than one option can be right.

Possibility of Cooperation Among Diverse Communities

Besides being a part of the LGBT+ community, many of us may also identify as persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS, indigenous people, migrant workers, new immigrants, blue-collar workers, or persons involved in BDSM or open relationships. These are the inseparable facets that make us who we are, but without adequate understanding and acceptance from mainstream society, discrimination and stigma only exacerbate growing inequality between those in and out of these spheres. Therefore, beyond the realm of sexual diversity, issues faced by other minority and marginalized communities are equally as important because we all confront the same challenge: discrimination stemming from misunderstanding. In addition to advocating for the LGBT+ community, it is crucial for us to acknowledge various communities within. Only by working together and moving forward hand-in-hand can we fight against new forms of hate speech, raising public awareness of the importance of building a diverse and inclusive society.

This year’s theme ''Stand with Diversity'' aims to break the confrontations between different identities, enabling the mutual respect of the intersectionality of diverse identities. Over the years on the advocacy platform of Taiwan LGBT+ Pride, the organizing body Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association (hereinafter referred to TWRCAA) has invited groups from indigenous, HIV/AIDS, migrant worker, and physically disabled communities. Through the rally of Pride, we hope participants and the general public can get to see the various communities that exist within society, and better understand their plight and needs. Besides the parade, TWRCAA is committed to promoting the vision of an inclusive workplace to various business partners, further extending and implementing values of diversity in everyday life.

In the face of new challenges, it is imperative that we continue to urge the public to recognize diversity, understanding the identities of different communities and their needs. By no longer pitting ourselves against one another and confining ourselves to narrow identities, we can move forward hand-in-hand with different communities to build a society that respects diversity and rejects narrow-minded, dichotomous thinking. In doing so, we will not only embrace our own uniqueness but also celebrate the presence of others, choosing to stand with diversity. The 21st Taiwan LGBT+ Pride cordially invites everybody to take to the streets, to walk together regardless of our differences, and to create a welcoming space that stands against hatred and indifference.