TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A leading official from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) has urged the Legislative Yuan (立法院) to prioritize granting assisted reproduction rights to single women and lesbian couples, noting the cross-party consensus on the issue. Lee Yen-jong (李晏榕), director of the DPP's Department of Gender Equality, advised that surrogacy should be addressed separately from the "Assisted Reproduction Act" (人工生殖法) due to its controversial nature.
Lee emphasized the need to consider Taiwan's cultural context, where Confucian values play a significant role, especially regarding biological bonds. Lee remarked that if legislation can protect surrogates and children, surrogacy could be considered under strict regulations. Lee clarified that DPP legislators oppose the surrogacy bill to safeguard women's bodily autonomy and welfare, not for religious reasons. She warned that passing the bill without thorough consideration could disrupt society.
Lee proposed prohibiting surrogacy arrangements involving close relatives to prevent exploitation, highlighting the risk of treating women's bodies as family resources. Also, she stressed that surrogacy agencies should operate on a non-profit basis, and parental rights must be clearly defined. Lee concluded that more dialogue is necessary to build a social consensus on surrogacy legislation.