TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association (台灣性別平等教育協會, TGEEA) on Monday (Aug. 19) showed disapproval of actor Sunny Wang's (王陽明) use of a discriminatory term "sissy" (娘砲).
Wang's comment followed a movie promotion event where he declined a fan's request to make a heart gesture, opting for a high-five instead, and later posted, "I don't want to make a sissy gesture" (不比娘砲動作).
TGEEA stated that while Wang's refusal to make the heart gesture was not incorrect, his use of the term 'sissy' was. The association emphasized that Wang's stance could marginalize those who do not conform to mainstream gender norms.
The association highlighted that some individuals recounted past experiences of being called "sissy," illustrating the actual harm such language can inflict. TGEEA urged society to foster an environment where everyone can be true to themselves, starting with mindful language and actions.
TGEEA acknowledged that in some contexts, 'sissy' might not carry discriminatory connotations and could even affirm and empower femininity. However, they noted that in many situations, the term reflects a derogatory and exclusionary attitude toward femininity, making it discriminatory.