Book review: Consider the Crocodile: Qiu Miaojin's Lesbian Bestiary

Abstract

IN DECEMBER, a massive rally for same-sex marriage rights in Taipei flooded the main boulevard and spilled into the streets circling the Presidential Offices. Taiwanese media went into overdrive: celebrity interviews, live debates, and an endless stream of video footage rehearsed the global gay pageantry of rainbow flags, hot men making out, endearing elderly couples, and proudly supportive parents. As I write, a panel of 14 Supreme Court justices is hearing arguments on a civil case that may well lead to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Taiwan, leading Asia in gender equality with its democratically elected female president and setting a world standard for its widely praised universal health care, now leads international media in its coverage of gay rights issues. Show more