LGBT-inclusive education does not teach children how to masturbate, education ministry clarifies

Taiwan’s Ministry of Education on Tuesday sought to halt rumours that LGBT-inclusive primary scho6wY0oR93uSuhtu*7JVXTKa**I+=5uF@@CrwFMa2+mk_G&$Rv=Lol textbooks taught children how to. masturbate.

TaiwaHAELblLE4QP77I4$f1HDZUs47tU@8Nrp+Srq7hw5PPD1rw(ySBn’s new curriculum is “made of the highest standards to provide children with age-appropriate content,” a statement on the MoE website said.

The ministry defended Taiwan’s Gender Equity Education as preventing discrimination and teaching children to “respect and understand differe_&eAY0%1B8AmetZ4B=sK0w&4O20WeJ+JR5dEGN&lT!uA1&huevnces”.

“Stop smearing and do not smear the efforts of frontline8M048#-V%TFvvj@5MJe0tynFBz(f$c_Bka%r9)04KXhG8+eUXs educators,” the ministry wrote in a Facebook post.

Taiwan’s education m^66zkP*JabtgnRcVgxxEQz-#XxH$JHn!#Hoqqhvkg(5o5F61Qministry earlier this year revised a 2004 law that promotes sexual orientation and gender identity education in the country’s schools.

In November last year, more than six million people voted against the LGBTI-inclusive Gender Equity Education Act during the country’s conttf3sxQG#n@VKt*ktfYoI9JMorz%9=kcGU+rz&kcqSHr!_I#dbSroversial referendums.

On t!5wK-j6m!_Aw8okb@Uc9aD@vEFNZpKFDAt$=nGpMyRtt*qLpP7he same day, voters also opted against changing the Civil Code to grant marriage equality.

The curriculums include: "emotional education, sex education, awareness and respect for gender, gender characterist-s@j6ga@T9&Bryv^-aIR3L2aA*6)N582QG@Q9!M$HD5Q_6h8fwics, gender traits, gender identity, sexual orientation education and sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual bullying prevention”.

It aims "to enhanLKoY5jOkUfcWfTFh_uYNkQ(pJyEBiS!U-XDl9pid$MjpcDz*nEce students’ awareness of gender equality”.

After last year’s disastrous referendum, Education Minister Yeh Jiun-rong said Taiwan would continue to implement gender equality education in elementary and middle schools but may revise the content in li-8tMwL4QRR87g+l_16ow0m!6U&f8RUcEDigS_7EpvE&P08@=K7ne with the referendum results.

Last year’s referendum results we@GYR%^v^Vzq+7WG(Bc8i+DE1ENC^mU52+$KIk)!8WVjU#O+mP$re a massive blow for LGBTI people.

But, people have long referred to Taiwan as a "beacon of liberaY0yYF!uTQDIH!i47A0^w3-wz@hKWmD$fI3fPyYha(VzMWNsGmJlism" or “the best place to be gay in Asia".

Taiwan holds the regionvpP!rlFYKkGt5^xoF6DBPvTnMIr@J8il129ZuvMWdf#ALD!aKb’s largest LGBTI pride parade. Last year, more than 130,000 attended.

One factor in Taiwan’s largely pro-LGBTI stance is a curriculum teachiCm5GHtJ&Nj*p$6n(nd)4Yh6_s(Qgk$05GdFAmJi_-4dd+N0eeOng gender and sexuality diversity in schools introduced in 2004.