Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association

Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association (TTHA; Chinese: 臺灣同志諮詢熱線協會) is an organization that provides the LGBT community with peer counseling, support networks, and a community resource center. It is the first LGBT non-governmental organization (NGO) registered in Taiwan.[1]

Workers of the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association during the Taiwan Pride 2005 march, dressed in shiny skirts

TTHA was established in 1998 as a joint effort of four groups that focus on LGBT and gender issues, the Gay Counselors Association, Queer & Class, LGBT Civil Rights Alliance, and the Gay Teachers’ Alliance.[2] The organization's current director-general is Yu Zhi-Yun (徐志雲).[3][4]

Services and Activities

TTHA's tasks focus on counseling, cultural events, and the protection of LGBT rights including:

  • Counseling on gender identity
  • Counseling for LGBT relationships
  • Counseling on gay rights issues
  • Providing LGBT-related resources
  • Hosting counseling and support groups for parents of LGBT children
  • Organizing and training volunteers
  • Providing safe sex education and HIV-prevention education
  • Hosting LGBT-inclusive workshops for teachers
  • Organizing and assisting Taiwan Pride (2005)
  • Promoting Gender Equity Education Act (2004)

As part of its work, TTHA has been supporting the promotion of gender equity education in Taiwan, notably through the inclusion of gay rights and sexual orientation topics in the new mandatory curriculum for elementary and junior high school.[5] By teaching youths about diversity in sexual orientation, TTHA and other like-minded organizations hope to enhance understanding and respect.[6] TTHA also ties this to efforts to stem bullying in schools, which is often based on prejudices and stereotypes towards gender or sexual orientation. However, inclusion of sexual orientation-related topics in school curriculum has met with opposition, and TTHA and other gender and gay rights advocacy groups recently have had to file a slander suit against a group stating that gender equity curriculum would promote "sexual openness" and same-sex marriage.[7]

References
  1. Hioe, Brian (2014-10-14). "Profile: Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association". New Bloom Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  2. "About hotline". 臺灣同志諮詢熱線協會 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  3. Maxon, Ann (January 4, 2018). "LGBTI policy study urges improved sex education". Taipei Times. Retrieved January 3, 2018. “There has never been a comprehensive report on the government’s LGBTI policies,” association secretary-general Tsai Ying-chih (蔡瑩芝) said, adding that “previous reports on those policies are either limited in scope or lacking in statistical evidence.”
  4. "理監事會". 台灣同志諮詢熱線協會 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  5. Lin, Hermia. "Young students need gender equality education in Taiwan: groups", Central News Agency - Focus Taiwan. May 12, 2011.
  6. Lee, James. "Groups call for gay-friendly laws, gender equality education", Central News Agency - Focus Taiwan. May 16, 2011.
  7. Loa, Lok-Sin. "Gender, gay rights groups file slander suit in Taipei", Taipei Times. May 13, 2011.


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