Taiwan male health officials wear pink face masks to break gender norms
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Taiwan male health officials wore pink face masks during a press conference to address concern over young boys refusing to wear them in fear of being bullied.
Taiwan's male health officials wore pink face masks during a regular press conference in response to an issue that young boys are afraid that the 'girly' color could get them bullied at school.
On April 13, the Taiwan Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung took some time out from the daily briefing to discuss the relevance of the pink face mask he was wearing, along with other officials of the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
.@MOHW_Taiwan Minister Chen took time out from the regular #Coronavirus briefing to discuss the relevance of his pink medical mask. The big takeaway: No color is exclusive to girls or boys. #GenderEquality lies at the heart of #Taiwan values. pic.twitter.com/jTrsyC8FDf
-- 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) April 13, 2020
The big takeaway was, “No color is exclusive to girls or boys. #GenderEquality lies at the heart of #Taiwan values.”
For Taiwan legislator, Wang Ting-yu, the initiative made by the health officials challenged gender norms.
In response to parents' concern that their sons are afraid to wear pink face masks to school, officials from Taiwan's Epidemic Command Centre led by Health Minister Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) today showed up at daily presser wearing pink face masks to challenge gender norms. pic.twitter.com/s5E12tKKdz
-- 王定宇 Wang Ting-yu MP 🇹🇼 (@MPWangTingyu) April 13, 2020
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Welfare changed the color of its logo from blue and yellow to pink and yellow to demonstrate that no color is exclusive to girls or boys.
#顏色不分性別#正向防疫 #互相尊重
-- MOHW of Taiwan (@MOHW_Taiwan) April 14, 2020
🐶（社交距離）🤓：衛福編編跟總柴都希望，這世界上的所有人都能擇其所愛、愛自己、肯認自己、互相尊重，自由自在的健康生活！#打破刻板印象
🤓謝謝 #教育部 好夥伴，協助衛福編編產出超美的衛福部徽💖 pic.twitter.com/J6eSvYOt61
Other Taiwan government agencies and even some brands supported the unofficial campaign by changing their logos to pink as well.
The Taiwanese internet is going "pink" today--an unofficial campaign to break gender stereotypes--following a tale about a boy who refused to wear a pink mask to school for fear of being bullied #ColorHasNoGender #顏色沒有性別 pic.twitter.com/ftAvPA9C7V
-- Joyu Wang (@joyuwang) April 14, 2020
OK. Here's a second batch: Note that it's not only government agencies but brands, NGOs and cultural groups are also supporting the cause in this "pink wave" across Taiwan #ColorHasNoGender #顏色沒有性別 pic.twitter.com/K5h8cr8cMB
-- Joyu Wang (@joyuwang) April 14, 2020
Famous brands "rebrand" their logos amid the coronavirus crisis
Even some Filipinos on Facebook lauded the response made by the Taiwanese health officials.
“Taiwan really out here flattening the curve while destroying gender stereotypes, too. We love to see itttt!” a netizen noted in a Facebook post that went viral.
What are your thoughts about Taiwan's unofficial “pink” campaign?
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