As an international feminist coalition for the abolition of surrogate motherhood, we fully support the action of the Taiwan Women’s Link against the attempt to open up Taiwan to surrogacy.
We join them in protesting against this bill and the ongoing amendments. Surrogacy commodifies women and children, it cares for no one, neither the commissioning people (intended parents as the surrogacy industry calls them) nor the surrogate mother who risks her health and life. It exploits economically vulnerable women.
We admire the courage and tenacity of Taiwan Women’s Link and all its member organisations.
We will be proud to stand with them in this struggle.
Here is their final speech, translated from Chinese into English. https://www.facebook.com/twlandtwh/posts/pfbid02D558ztVLvFQYRL8K9eh37BerLTz9vbb1zDkXui1Gj7KwMGfMCsm3sCmjGa5CGEJsl
Taiwan Women’s Link.
#Speech [Oppose the exploitation of women! Stop the surrogacy bill! – Protest against the Legislative Yuan’s forced deliberation of the surrogacy bill – Civic Action
The Legislative Yuan’s Environmental Protection Committee scheduled a review of 16 #artificial reproductive law amendment drafts proposed by legislators from both sides of the political spectrum today (12/5). Among them, five proposals from the blue and white legislators include opening up surrogate motherhood. In protest, the Taiwan Anti-Surrogacy Action Group launched a protest action, demanding that the surrogacy bill be returned, that surrogacy be dealt with independently of the ‘Artificial Reproduction Act’, and that public hearings continue to be held to expand discussions and listen to public opinion.
Chen Shufang, Secretary-General of Taiwan Women’s Link, also came to the scene to express her support and opinions as follows:
Taiwan Women’s Link has opposed surrogate motherhood for a long time, perhaps more than 20 years. During this long period of time, we often felt as if we were the only ones opposing it, and we felt very lonely. However, in this recent wave of actions, we have met a lot of friends and received a lot of support, which is really encouraging.
Taiwan Women’s Link will be 25 years old next year. We are a women’s group that has been around for a quarter of a century. We are a nosy group that cares about all issues related to women, but among so many issues, women’s #health issues are our greatest concern.
In Taiwan, there is a law called the #Maternity Accident Relief Act, which was passed after 13 years of campaigning by the Taiwan Women’s League. This law #protects women giving birth against the risks. Today, if a woman has an accident during childbirth, or if the mother or child has a problem, and they may die or become severely disabled, the state will provide relief, regardless of whether it happened in a hospital, a midwifery, or during transportation. Because we believe that# childbirth is not just a matter for the woman or the family but also for society.
The Taiwan Women’s League has spent so much time promoting this law because we know that #childbirth is fraught with risks, and many of them #unpredictable. We are so concerned about women’s pregnancy and childbirth, and we know that there are various risks in this process, so of course we will not agree to the existence of surrogate mothers.
Because a surrogate mother not only carries the pregnancy, but also bears the risks of pregnancy and childbirth. And more and more research tells us that the health risks of pregnancy and childbirth will be on this woman for a long time, even for the rest of her life. A surrogate mother has to bear these risks for the rest of her life!
So what kind of person would become a surrogate mother? What kind of person would take on these risks?#Women in financial difficulties,#women who cannot refuse emotional blackmail or pressure – these are vulnerable women!#Vulnerable women become surrogate mothers!
So who can become a commissioning party? Even in the case of the ‘altruistic’ surrogacy under discussion, the so-called ‘cost’ paid to the surrogate mother often starts at several million. Can anyone in need use it? Only those with financial advantages can do it, only the rich can do it. This is very clear. #Surrogate mothers are financially advantageous people buying the wombs of disadvantaged women!
What is even more unacceptable is the ‘altruistic’ surrogacy that is being discussed now. Because women’s groups or opponents have always criticized surrogate mothers for developing into a commercialized industry, they say that it must be ‘altruistic,’ that is, women must do this out of kindness, and the fees they receive are basically for food, drink, clothing, etc. Can the 24/7 physical and mental dedication of a woman for 10 months be valued in this way? #Altruistic surrogacy is a lie.#People who have economic advantages ensure that they can buy the wombs of disadvantaged women at the lowest price. This is #class exploitation and #multiple exploitation of disadvantaged women!
We have talked to many legislators about this issue, hoping that they will understand the problems behind surrogacy. When we talked to the staff of Legislator Su Ching-chuan’s office about the unfairness that would be brought about by legislation on surrogacy, he responded that all laws would cause unfairness, and there was nothing that could be done about it! Can a legislator say such a thing? Why should disadvantaged women bear this kind of unfairness?
As a women’s group for so long, we have long been fighting against and rebelling against the patriarchal system. We know that infertile women have a very hard time in this society, bearing the pressure of being unable to pass on their lineage and possibly suffering from much criticism and disapproval. But the root of this pressure comes from the patriarchal culture of ‘having an heir is important’ and ‘blood ties are important’.#Surrogacy is fundamentally a rationalisation and#deepening of the thinking of ‘having an heir’. These ideas are not a reason to hurt another woman. We should see it and we should resist it.
Many people also say that they just want to have their own children. This kind of argument treats women as nothing more than a breeding tool and undermines their value as human beings.
Today, the Taiwan Women’s Alliance once again emphasises that we #oppose surrogate motherhood and #oppose legislation on surrogate motherhood! If you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to share your thoughts with us! Thank you!
#Surrogate motherhood #Oppose surrogacy #Artificial reproductive law amendment