The social media myths are spreading as Taiwan gets ready to decide on marriage equality
The Guardian
Date: 21 Nov 2018
By: Benjamin Haas in Seoul
Taiwan has seen a mix of combative newspaper ads and social media misinformation ahead of Saturday’s same-sex marriage referendum. Photograph: Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Taiwan is in the final days of a battle over the future of equality in the country, with conservatives campaigning fiercely against LGBT advocates over a referendum on same-sex marriage on Saturday.
When Taiwan’s highest court ruled last year that same-sex marriage should be legal, supporters rejoiced after waging a years-long battle for equality. But after conservative groups rallied against the change, the government announced a referendum on the issue in August.
As voting day nears, conservative groups have deployed a reported budget of 100m Taiwan dollars (£2.5m) in an effort to push the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman only. The group Alliance for Next Generation’s Happiness, which gathered enough signatures to trigger the referendum, voiced fears for society, with spokesman Tseng Hsien-ying saying: “The collapse of the family system will deal a huge blow to society.”
Advertisements have blanketed Taiwan’s airwaves and newspapers. Misinformation has spread on social media, with same-sex marriage opponents claiming marriage equality would affect the island’s falling birthrate and make it a haven for foreigners with HIV who seek to use the national health system. [FULL STORY]
