Feminist consciousness? Now 74, 23-year veteran legislator Liang Hsu Chun-chu states that in the "olden days" of the legislature, they had virtually no space to discuss this issue. So in the face of the high-firepower performance of women legislators elected in recent years, she feels, "they are admirable, and have a great enterprising spirit."

Men Above, Women Below: "In the past, not only did the situation of women demanding the right to speak never occur, it was simply unimaginable." Liang Hsu Chun-chu describes everyone at that time at "very restrained," in general limiting themselves to verbal suggestions. If there was any proposed legislation, it had to be approved by the legislature's KMT party branch in order to formally become a bill.

Hsu Chang Ai-lien, who has won four consecutive terms as a legislator since 1980, points out that in the past, the traditional ethics of differentiating between men and women and of hierarchy between elder and younger were very, very evident. When she first entered the Legislative Yuan she was already nearly 40, but was called "little sister." When she met her "elder brother" and "elder sister" senior legislators, she had to serve the tea and make sure everything was OK with them.

At that time Hsu Chang Ai-lien saw herself as a novice, who would not act lightly or blindly, and decided to gain broad exposure, choosing in turn to serve on the Finance, Defense, Economic Affairs, and other committees. She discovered that generally speaking, the ethics governing the legislature before 1986 were "respect for the old, self-effacement for the young, men above, and women below."

In order to gain room for maneuver, she chose the method of "advancing by retreating." For example, in the Finance Committee, among the three conveners (co-chairmen) selected every session, according to precedent, these were handed out by seniority, with only one seat left for "new faces" to have in rotation. She volunteered to serve last in the rotation for this convener's seat, giving the earlier opportunities to newly elected male legislators, and she took the initiative to lobby for votes for them, in order to establish good relationships with a broad group.

Before 1986, the number of women elected to the Legislative Yuan always hovered around the guaranteed minimum of four. Hsu Chang Ai-lien argues that because the number was simply too small, even if they could unite, their capacity would have been limited. She recalls that in her second term (1983), she worked with the other women legislators to amend the inheritance laws so that children with their mother's surname can also inherit property from their father. This was one of the extremely small number of bills on which women were able to cooperate to successfully intervene in those earlier sessions.

Legislators from the Middle Ages: These types of ethical norms continued until 1986 or 1987. At that time, on the one hand, they were affected by the balancing power of the opposition party after the lifting of martial law, and on the other, because a new culture of "physical confrontation" was beginning to bud, the insider "interpersonal traditions" gradually disintegrated. The most awkward people in all this were the "middle-aged" legislators, who were conditioned to respecting tradition but also could not but take up the challenge of competition from the ambitious and bold new faces.

Among the supplementary legislators in the Legislative Yuan, you need only to have served three terms or more, and your colleagues will commonly call you by the Taiwanese term for "middle aged," thereby describing you as neither new nor senior. The women legislators belonging to this "middle-aged" group, besides Hsu Chang Ai-lien, are Wu Der-mei and Hsieh Mei-huey.

Before, women legislators only observed traditional "lady-like decorum," and had a warm, mellow style in their political behavior. But after feeling the shock of the new tide of liberalism, they began to display "another side," sometimes soft, sometimes steely.

For example, in the second half of her second term, which began in 1987, Wu Der-mei made a splash with an interpellation breaking a long-time taboo on the February 28 Incident.

Later, in order to protect then acting President of the Legislative Yuan Liu Kuo-tsai, she got into a physical confrontation with Ju Gau-jeng, an opposition legislator of the "action faction," which was the first time a man and woman exchanged blows in the Legislative Yuan.

Elders Also Receive a Baptism in the New Tide: At the end of 1989, the Kuomintang implemented a party primary system to determine nominees, which fit better with the democratic spirit. The number of seats occupied by women suddenly shot up, with fourteen women among the 101 supplementary legislators (one of whom has since left to take a cabinet position).

This group of new faces, with cleaner images and sharper and more progressive political positions, brought a new climate for the active participation of women legislators in political activity. It caused women's rights, the handicapped and disadvantaged, and social welfare bills to all gain more widespread attention. The "middle-aged" women legislators have consequently been able to explore new political realms.

For instance, Hsieh Mei-huey's political activity over the past eight years has focused on the Communications Committee, with most of her attention on engineering and construction. But recently she has come to be concerned about the issue of women's rights, more or less under the ''encouragement" of the "new thinking."

She proposed a women's welfare draft bill, is worried about the issue of sex crimes, and even ordered "Golden Fly" by telephone right from the hall of the Legislative Yuan in order to draw attention to the rampancy of aphrodisiacs and sexually stimulating drugs in the country and to her appeal for the relevant agencies to strengthen action to ban them. This marks a difference from her previous "good-girl" posture, and attracted a great deal of notice.

"I wasn't deliberately trying to 'put on a show'; it's just that I realized that sometimes it is necessary to use extraordinary measures to remind people to take social norms seriously," explains Hsieh Mei-huey.

Differences of Approach: However, though the feminist voice in the Legislative Yuan has grown much louder, this does not necessarily mean it has had the effect of unity and integration. Hsieh Mei-huey contends that women legislators cannot avoid "innate" jealousy among themselves, leading to inadequate transmission of experiencebetween older and younger women legislators. "It's not easy at all to have so many people of the same sex engaged as partners on a common project. Only if there is mutual tolerance and appreciation can our strength be added together, or even multiplied," she concludes.

A senior legislative reporter for the China Times points out that ordinarily there is definitely a difference between the older women supplementary legislators and the new women legislators in their political behavior.

The older ones have a conservative approach, and rarely act front and center stage; but this is because they have a deep base of support at the local level and can integrate and use the strength of their faction, so there is no need to come forward to the podium to resolve problems.

By contrast, the younger women legislators are ordinarily extremely ambitious, but perhaps because they face so many "future unknowns"--whether or not they will be able to win reelection--they have different concerns to a greater or lesser extent. In order to attract media and voter attention, they are more likely to be "showy" in their political behavior.

But overall, the political attitudes and ability of women legislators today are still as outstanding as they were in early years.

Tseng Fu-mei, the only newly serving woman Overseas Chinese legislator, is the wife of a diplomat from Taiwan in Costa Rica, and has a great understanding of and many friendships in the legislatures of that and other Latin American nations. She believes that although she is a new face in the parliament, because of her previous experience and her current status, she is able to observe the special features of today's women legislators objectively.

"I think that women legislators in Taiwan are ordinarily more serious and hard-working than the men, and give nothing away when it comes to the quality and ability in their political behavior. When the session first began, the new women legislators were in places a bit rash, but are now increasingly mature and stable." Tseng stresses that, "What's even more important is that the vast majority of women legislators participate with a level, rational attitude.

The Future Is Wide Open: Some people have criticized the direction of political action under-taken by current women legislators as being inadequately broad, with too much effort put into issues about the family, disadvantaged groups, or women, ridiculing them as having a "matronly view." But Wu Der-mei sees it differently.

She says, "Men are not nearly as well-versed in the topics of the family or socially disadvantaged as women are. Women legislators can thus seize this particularity, and, besides being concerned about politics and economics, can also devote attention to these issues, and won't they be pioneering previously ignored areas of political action at the same time?"

Legislator Yeh Chu-lan of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party argues, however, that fundamentally there are no differences between men and women legislators; both are trying to affect policy and build a foundation of law through the policy process.

"Nevertheless, since ancient times major affairs of state have been seen as the center of political activity, and are what most people think of when they think of 'politics,'" says Yeh. This is a distortion of a paternalistic society--promoting invasiveness, and lacking in acceptance and tolerance--which defined the political core, but it is by no means the only or normal nature of politics. But men usually are less aware of other things, and devote too little attention to the problems of women, children, the elderly, education, and social welfare. The women legislators should take up the slack.

"Thus in the future women legislators should turn around this image of politics born of false consciousness, to enable the problems of women and children, previously seen as 'low politics,' to become another center of parliamentary activity," concludes Yeh Chu-lan.

　　　　 (Chen Wen-ming/tr. by Phil Newell)

Liang Hsu Chun-chu:

Elected as a supplementary senior legislator in 1969.

Although Liang Hsu Chun-chu is considered a "first-term senior legislator," she is different from the old legislators elected in 1947. She was not only one of the 11 "supplementary" senior legislators elected from Taiwan, she was the only woman to be so elected. What makes her proud is that because she had previously had 18 years of experience in the Taiwan Provincial Assembly and had a broad base of public support in the Chiayi-Tainan region, her vote total was not low, so that she didn't need to use the "preference" of the one seat reserved for a woman.

Liang, who studied education, still has her heart in education despite being in politics. Most of the time, she devotes her attention to the Education Committee.

At present, there are too many students in the average middle and primary school class in Taiwan Province, so that the teacher-student ratio is much higher than in Taipei City. Liang has constantly suggested that the central government take responsibility for local educational personnel funding, in order to increase the teaching resources, lower the number of students in each class, and to raise the quality of instruction.

Because she is a "supplementary senior legislator" elected in 1969, her status is between that of the "senior legislators" and the "supplementary legislators." [Note: Senior legislators were elected in 1947 in mainland China for the first term under the new constitution and have never faced reelection. Supplementary senior legislators were elected in Taiwan in 1969 to account for increases in Taiwan's population and deaths among senior legislators. They are considered part of the "senior" group and also need not face reelection. Supplementary legislators were first elected from Taiwan in 1972 and must face reelection every three years. Both supplementary senior legislators and supplementary legislators have been considered part of the "first-term" legislature. Beginning in 1992, all surviving senior first-term legislators will be retired and a new disputes have arisen about their "retirement."] But she is not despondent; she thinks people must be active through old age, and learn through old age.

As a graduate of Nara Women's Teacher's College in Japan, she is well-versed in Japanese, but the still studies English three times a week with a foreign teacher, in order to achieve a level of ability to communicate in English comparable to that of the younger legislators.

Hsu Chang Ai-lien:

Elected as a supplementary legislator in 1980, 1983, 1986, and 1989.

Hsu Chang Ai-lien, who calls herself a "middleaged" legislator, it already rather confident and unhindered in her speaking techniques. Having served as chairwoman of the hot Finance Committee for a couple of sessions, because she wanted to give the "new kids in town" their chance, she had not stood for reelection as chairwoman. This term she reentered the race for chairperson, and again won the highly-prized seat.

Hsu has seen the work styles and directions of four different premiers paraded through the halls of the Legislative Yuan, and has also won the support of voters for over a decade. She believes that she is able to judge and act on the trends of the times. She argues that the biggest problem we now face is the "feeling of powerlessness in a time of transition." Those policies most helpful to restoring public confidence are thus public safety, transportation and communications, and social mores; her interpellations in the legislature have pursued these directions.

For example, she is worried that greedy money games and manipulation will destroy social norms, and has frequently interpellated on the question of lotteries. In recent years, because of the frequency of cases of rape, armed robbery, and kidnapping, she has raised an emergency interpellation asking the Executive Yuan to take drastic action for social order.

"Fairness first, impartiality first, righteousness first." Hsu Chang Ai-lien has used this as her basic campaign slogan, and also to encourage herself to move strongly forward.

Wu Der-mei:

Elected as a supplementary legislator in 1983, 1986, and 1989.

After being involved in several physical confrontations in her second term as legislator, Wu Dermei decided that the "show" space in the Legislative Yuan would not belong to her, and in her third term has begun undertaking coordination between the government, enterprises, and the private sector. "Many problems don't get publicity, but are actually easier to resolve," she says.

For example, in recent years she has promoted the establishment of an evening college at Sun Yat-Sen University, the opening of the Chang Geng Hospital in Kaohsiung to labor insurance, and the establishment of an air police force.

As Wu says, the aircraft for the air police force have already been purchased from abroad. In the future helicopters will be available for airborne fire-fighting.

She has also been part of organizing a women's workshop for many years, with the aim of helping disadvantaged groups and cleansing marriage; they frequently have seminars and concrete activities.

In the future, Wu Der-mei plans to work even harder to play a mediating role between ministries where coordination has broken down in specific cases, for example in achieving a consensus among the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Minsitry of Communications, and the Kaohsiung City Government cn privatization of state-run industries and in promoting the "Southern Star" land reclamation project in Kaohsiung.

Hsieh Mei-huey:

Elected as a supplementary legislator in 1982, 1986, and 1989.

Hsieh Mei-huey, from Hsinchuang in Taipei County, made improving the local traffic situation her main campaign appeal when first running for the Legislative Yuan. In the eight years that she has acted as a legislator, she has never "drifted apart" from the Communications Committee; the main reason has been to come through on her promise.

In her term she has promoted the Second Provincial Highway, the Wu ku interchange, the north Taiwan flood prevention plan, and the construction of the Chung kang drainage system, enabling Hsin-chuang to become a new urban center. She has also devoted attention to the rapid transit system, the Taipei-Ilan highway, and the parking law.

She had a tough time studying in her early years, and even had to rely on help from her co-workers at China Broadcasting to help pay her university registration fee. This experience has given her deep appreciation for the people around her, and besides communications construction, she also places special concern on the problems of disadvantaged groups and social welfare.

Hsieh Mei-huey contends that social welfare is related to the wealth and fortune of all of society, and it is necessary to begin from a reorganization of the Executive Yuan, to establish a Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Only in this way can various types of social welfare and national health insurance receive appropriate management. This suggestion has not yet been turned into a definite bill, and Hsieh plans to keep working at it.

Tseng Fu-mei:

Appointed as an overseas Chinese legislator in 1989.

When last August Vice-President Lee Yuan-tzu represented President Lee Teng-hui on a trip to Latin America, you could say it was a major event in Taiwan's foreign relations. It was Tseng Fu-mei who brought together the threads.

Tseng Fu-mei is a legislator put forth by the overseas Chinese group in Costa Rica. Her long experience as the wife of a diplomat stationed there has enabled her to build close relations with political leaders of both government and opposition in Costa Rica.

After becoming a legislator, she went through formal diplomatic channels to promote the establishment of a "friendship society" between the legislatures of the two countries, increasing contact between the representatives of the two nations.

In order to broaden foreign relations, during legislative recesses she has uninterruptedly travelled to visit the legislatures and overseas Chinese in Latin American nations including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Ecuador. According to Tseng's own estimates, she spends "at least 100 hours" per year in airports!

A graduate of the Department of Law at National Taiwan University, Tseng believes that as an overseas Chinese representative, besides enjoying the privilege of participating in Taiwan's domestic politics, she must fulfill a corresponding duty.

Yeh Chu-lan:

Elected as a supplementary legislator in 1989.

Yeh Chu-lan, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, was the highest ranking and highest paid woman in the advertising world in Taiwan; her years of planning experience have made her a master of "campaign strategy." After winning election as a legislator, she quickly completed planning for all of the working bills she wanted to propose for the six sessions over the three year term; in raising interpellations on political issues, she has shown impressive "firepower," and has drawn quite a lot of media attention.

However, Yeh Chu-lan believes that because she has taken an uncompromising political position, added to the waves generated in the media, many people make the mistake of assuming the is interested only in matters of "high politics."

"Observant voters will discover that I consistently take part in public hearings on problems of women, children, and disadvantaged groups," points out Yeh. She raises examples of her recent attendance at hearings for the Welfare Law and the child pornography problem. She has also recently helped win the establishment of a special education school on behalf of education groups in the Kao-hsiung area.

[Picture Caption]

(photo by vincent Chang)

(photo by vincent Chang)

（photo by vincent Chang）