2024 TFSA Annual Conference
Beyond Marriage, Within Equality: Challenges of Singleness and Non-Marital Relationships
After democratization, Taiwan’s gender movements pursued marriage equality and underwent reforms of the unequal heterosexual marriage system, culminating in the recent legalization of same-sex marriage, marking a new milestone. While the marriage and family system still requires reform, people now enjoy considerably more freedom to enter or leave marriages and greater equality within marital relationships. However, beyond the freedom to marry and equality within marriage, it is also important to consider those living outside of marriage, including singles and those in non-marital partnerships (cohabiting or not). Particularly in East Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, and China, Taiwan has seen a rising rate of singleness, a very low rate of births outside marriage, and, facing the impact of a declining birth rate, the state has promoted policies encouraging marriage and childbirth based on the notion of combining marriage with childbearing. In such a policy environment, it is crucial to recognize the situations of those outside of marriage, understand the discrimination they face, and the equality they seek and need.
Marriage equality is not only about equality within marriage but also includes equality outside of marriage; marital freedom not only implies the freedom to marry but also the freedom not to marry. Reflecting on the supremacy of marriage and research into single and non-marital relationships has become a significant field of gender studies. This area of research not only critiques the primacy of the marital system, reflects on single discrimination, challenges ‘marital normativity’ and/or ‘partner normativity’, and reviews the ‘exclusivity of romantic relationships’ but also opposes the inevitable or close link between marriage and childbirth, critiques ‘procreation normativity’, reviews the stigma of childlessness, and further points out that being single and childless can be positive and active life choices.
The theme of this year’s conference responds to the trends and related research developments of singleness and non-marital relationships from both empirical exploration and theoretical consideration perspectives.
Conference and Registration Information:
- Date: 2024/10/05 (Saturday), 09:00 – 18:30
- Location: Linze Hall, College of Law, National Taiwan University (No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Da’an District, Taipei City; near the intersection of Section 2, Xinhai Road and Section 2, Fuxing South Road)
- For detailed session content and the list of attendees, please visit: https://bit.ly/47gmIv0
Note
- The registration form deadline is 2024/09/29 (Sunday) at 23:59. Please ensure you register before the deadline. If there is a fee involved, please complete payment by 2024/10/02 (Tuesday) at 23:59.
- Please be note that the conference sessions will be conducted in Chinese.
- Members of the Women’s Studies Association will be granted free admission to the conference! This year, we have introduced a new ‘Membership Inquiry System’ to help you verify your membership status.
Organizers
- Taiwanese Feminist Scholars Association
- Human Rights and Jurisprudence Research Center, College of Law, National Taiwan University
Sponsors
- Taiwan Democracy Foundation
- National Human Rights Museum
- Taipei City Government Social Welfare Department
Past Annual Conference Topics
- 2023: Feminisms in Taiwan: Shaping Knowledge, Forming Communities, Driving Movement
- 2022: Gender, Space, and (Im)mobility
- 2021: Asia, Gender, and Nonhuman Rights
- 2020: Epidemic, Border Politics, and Taiwan as a Community
- 2019: Vulnerability and Agency
- 2018: Philogyny and Misogyny: Affect and Gender
