TAICHUNG CITY EMBRACES DIVERSITY, RAISES RAINBOW FLAG|中市府擬升彩虹旗 反同婚團體抗議

The Taichung City government has planned to raise the rainbow flag in front of the city government for a week this month. However, the plan was met with protest from anti same-sex marriage groups. On Dec 6, hundreds of same-sex marriage opponents gathered, asking the city government to obey administrative neutrality. They had a scuffle with same-sex marriage proponents, as both sides were steadfast on the issue. ==The Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance== Taichung City government only care about the rainbow, not about Taichung. Holding placards high and shouting slogans, hundreds of same-sex marriage opponents from The Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance protested against Taichung City government's plan to raise the rainbow flag at the square in front of the Taichung City Hall from Dec 10. to 17. They think it was illegal, and asked Taichung City Mayor Lin Chia-lung to give them an explanation. A woman with a rainbow flag ran into the crowd and voiced for the legalization of same-sex marriage. This sparked outrage from anti same-sex marriage supporters, and they had a scuffle with her. Members of the alliance believe that the city government's apparent stance on the controversial issue has violated administrative neutrality. ==MR. LEE Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance member== We don't want to see them changing the fundamental definition of marriage. I think the government should make a special law catering to their needs. Same-sex marriage activists shouted their support for marriage equality. They welcomed the city government's plan, asking the Legislative Yuan to legalize same-sex marriage as soon as possible. ==MARRIAGE EQUALITY ACTIVISTS== No matter if you are heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or transgender, you have the right to fight for your own happiness. Marriage equality is of vital importance, as it marks our society as advanced. ==LIN CHIA-LUNG Taichung City Mayor== We should restore the meaning of the rainbow flag. Multiple colors coexisting in the rainbow flag means that our society is open to different gender identities and values. As Lin said the city government will not change its decision to take the flag down, those who are against same-sex marriage plan to recall the mayor. Argument for and against the legalization of same-sex marriage continues, since no consensus has been reached on amendments to the Civil Code. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH ==下一代幸福聯盟 == 心中有彩虹 沒有大台中 高舉標語大聲嗆聲，上百位＂下一代幸福聯盟＂等反同婚團體成員，不滿市府即將在市府廣場，升起一個星期的彩虹旗，他們質疑市府違法，要求市長林佳龍出面回應。 一名女子高舉小彩虹旗闖入群眾，表達自己挺婚姻平權的立場，卻遭另一方群眾不滿，爆發堆擠，而成員認為，現在修法爭議還沒平息，市府公然表態，已經違反行政中立 ==下一代幸福聯盟 李先生== 我們不希望他們要把婚姻的 基本的定義去修改 我覺得 我們可以另立專法 來保障他們所有需要 聯盟成員就地坐下，不過＂婚姻平權小蜜蜂＂成員則是在外頭，高喊要爭取婚姻平權，堅持市府挺同志的立場，也要求盡快修民法 ==婚姻平權小蜜蜂 成員== 不管是異性戀 同性戀 雙性戀 跨性別 都有爭取幸福的權利 婚姻平權是很重要的事情 代表我們社會的進步 ==台中市長 林佳龍== 針對彩虹旗 我相信應該給它 還原原來意義 它是代表彩虹是多色並存 希望我們社會 會有不同的 不管性別認同 或價值觀 而市長林佳龍議會表示，掛旗決定不會改變，不過抗議民眾不滿市長沒有具體回應，轉往市府進行抗議，也醞釀罷免市長林佳龍，修法爭議還沒共識，雙方團體依舊堅持各自立場。 記者 林健生 賴世杰 台中報導