The Woman Hoping To Be Taiwan's 1st Transgender Lawmaker

For the first time, a transgender person could win a seat in Taiwan's legislature.

Transcript

00:00 As a transgender woman, Abigail Wu has faced challenges in her family life, at school and in workplaces because of her gender identity.

00:09 But she says this has only made her more determined to fight for equality for her community.

00:14 And now she is going into politics.

00:29 Wu is running as a legislator-at-large for Taiwan's Green Party.

00:33 If her party gets enough votes in January's national elections, she will become the first openly transgender lawmaker in the country's history.

00:41 Taiwan has a reputation of one of the most LGBTQ-friendly places in the region.

00:47 This was the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.

00:50 Taiwan has Asia's only transgender minister, digital minister Audrey Tang.

00:55 But LGBTQ+, particularly transgender, representation in the legislature is still lacking.

01:01 Transgender people like Wu often face discrimination and stigma in Taiwan.

01:06 They are more likely to suffer mental health problems than the rest of society.

01:10 If people see us in the legislature, they can say, "We have friends in the legislature, don't come here."

01:26 Wu says it was a difficult decision to run for office and put herself in the public eye.

01:31 She is running for a small political party and will face an uphill battle in her bid for a legislative seat, but remains determined.

01:39 Our country is all about the long term. Why can't we make the legislature long-term?

01:44 For Wu, the message is simple. The transgender people exist in Taiwan and they deserve their place in the country's halls of power.

01:52 Chris Ma and Rick Lowatt for Taiwan Plus.

01:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]