Taiwanese Lesbian Couple Builds Family Despite IVF Ban

TaiwanPlus News

Under Taiwan's current assisted reproductive laws, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is only available for heterosexual married couples, forcing same-sex married couples like City and Mota to start their family abroad.

Transcript

00:00On a street corner in New Taipei,

00:04Moda and Siti wait for the school bus

00:07to pick up their four-year-old daughter, Dobi.

00:09I'm so shy.

00:11You're exaggerating.

00:13I'm so shy.

00:14You're exaggerating.

00:15The two women have been together for eight years

00:17and are legally married.

00:19They welcomed Dobi in 2020,

00:21thrilled to have their first child.

00:24We're fighting for it.

00:25We feel like my daughter is the emperor.

00:28We're the concubines.

00:30Who do you want to sleep with today?

00:32As a lesbian couple,

00:33starting their family was a long and difficult process.

00:38According to Taiwan's laws,

00:39women who freeze their eggs can only access them

00:42with their husband's signature,

00:44a problem for Taiwan's single women

00:46and queer couples like Siti and Moda.

00:49Unable to start their family in Taiwan,

00:51they had to look abroad

00:53for a pregnancy that was far from easy.

00:57The problem was that I almost died.

01:01When I was in Cambodia...

01:03Complicating the pregnancy further

01:05was the need for coordination

01:07between doctors across international borders.

01:10But ultimately, they succeeded and had Dobi.

01:14Two years later, they decided to try again,

01:17spending well over 60,000 U.S. dollars

01:19for the two treatments.

01:21This time, Siti decided to carry their child,

01:24hoping pregnancy would be easier for her.

01:27But after nine months, tragedy struck.

01:30Everything went well.

01:32When I was about to give birth,

01:39my child suddenly had no heartbeat.

01:42That incident was a test for me.

01:46Maybe I was just too lucky.

01:49Although their journey has been difficult,

01:51Siti and Moda are eager to share their experience,

01:55working with Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy,

01:58a Taiwan-based NGO focused on advocacy,

02:01legal rights,

02:02and organizing family events for queer couples.

02:05Seeing so many gay families,

02:07the most important thing is to see children

02:09climbing on the ground and chasing each other.

02:14In the happy afternoon,

02:16when they were with each other,

02:17they gave us a great feedback.

02:20When they saw that someone had realized

02:22the ideal of gay marriage,

02:25they were even more confident.

02:26They knew they were not the only lesbian couple

02:29in Taiwan who wanted to have children.

02:33Taiwan's health ministry has proposed an amendment

02:35to the law on assisted reproduction.

02:37But Siti and Moda decided not to wait,

02:40and are instead trying again,

02:42hoping to expand their family

02:44no matter the cost,

02:45nor the potential for heartbreak.

02:48In their view, the risk is worth it

02:50for the chance of a happy ending.

02:53Yixin Chen, Millie Hughes, and Harrell Hughes for Taiwan Plus.

Category

Transcript

Recommended