"In religious spaces, we have observed that women have long been relegated to behind-the-scenes roles and logistical support, while leadership positions or officiating roles are predominantly held by men. Therefore, we began promoting the concept of gender equality early on, aiming to increase the proportion of women participating in core religious affairs," explained Huang Hsing-Jui, Officer of the Religious Affairs Section at the Department of Civil Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, as he discussed the historical gender imbalance in religious leadership.
Taiwanese society has traditionally been influenced by the notion of "men managing external affairs and women managing internal ones," along with perceptions about women’s physical limitations. These ideas often lead to the assumption that women cannot handle physically demanding tasks. As a result, the primary leaders or officials of temples and religious organizations are predominantly male, and men typically assume leading roles in religious ceremonies, while women are relegated to supporting or logistical positions. This stereotype has made it rare for women to take on prominent roles in ceremonies, further limiting their opportunities to hold decision-making positions in religious organizations, perpetuating gender inequality in religious rituals and structures. Additionally, traditional views regarding menstruation, deemed "unclean," impose restrictions on women, such as prohibitions against entering temples or touching sacred artifacts during their menstrual periods, further confining their roles in religious and societal spheres.
Persuading Religious Organizations to Promote Gender Equality
"In religious settings, deeply entrenched traditional beliefs often make the concept of gender equality unfamiliar and challenging to implement. Resistance or outright rejection is not uncommon. Our approach has been to persistently communicate and promote these ideas, understanding that acceptance and internalization of gender equality take time. We have also gradually encouraged women to take on leadership roles in religious organizations. As of 2023, approximately 69 women hold leadership positions in religious organizations in Taoyuan City, representing about 20%. This marks a significant increase compared to earlier years," shared Huang Hsing-Jui, detailing the efforts to promote gender equality in religious organizations.
The Department of Civil Affairs of the Taoyuan City Government has leveraged high-visibility ceremonial activities to encourage women to assume major roles, advocating that women can lead and participate in religious activities. This approach challenges the stereotype that women are confined to logistical roles. Through ongoing communication with temples to emphasize the importance of women’s participation, the department has collaborated with religious institutions to document and showcase women’s involvement in ceremonial activities. These efforts are further supported by training sessions for leaders of religious organizations and forums on high-quality religious culture, organized by the Department of Civil Affairs. The goal is to inspire other temples to emulate these practices, collectively advancing gender equality and fostering an inclusive and equitable religious environment in society.
Taoyuan Religious Organizations as Models for Gender Equality
"At Taoyuan's Longde Temple, over half of the staff and sedan chair carriers are women. To highlight this achievement, we collaborated with Longde Temple to produce a video titled Taoyuan's Divine Women, Celebrations in Gender Equality, showcasing their female sedan chair team and other groups. This serves as a model for promoting gender equality in Taoyuan," shared Huang Hsing-Jui, a staff member of the Department of Civil Affairs’s Religious Affairs Section.
Longde Temple in Taoyuan has broken traditional restrictions and taboos on women in religious activities. Women now lead rituals and ceremonies, with key roles such as temple chief and general manager held by women. Female members dominate various ceremonial teams, including the sedan chair carriers, floral drum formations, and the Seven Treasures Umbrella procession. Even the Dragon Pearl bearer in the Golden Dragon formation is a woman. These examples demonstrate that women can play significant roles in temple activities and management, furthering gender inclusion in religious practices.
Building a Gender-Equal Ritual Culture
"Although I only began handling gender equality affairs in the Department of Civil Affairs' Religious Affairs Section this January (113), I was fortunate to participate in the Mazu Procession Departure Ceremony at Longde Temple in March. Seeing the all-female sedan chair team in action was truly inspiring. On the day of the procession, the crowd was massive, and during the departure ceremony, the staff and participating devotees were packed together. Despite their smaller physical stature compared to men, the women formed a line, hand-in-hand, to clear obstacles and enable the sedan chair to move forward. Their professionalism was remarkable. While physiological differences between men and women naturally exist, witnessing these women diligently fulfilling the tasks entrusted to them by the temple or deities left a deep impression," shared Huang Hsing-Jui. Huang expressed hope that in the future, traditional boundaries within religious settings can be progressively broken, narrowing gender disparities in rituals and responsibilities. By increasing women’s participation in public religious roles, Huang aims to foster a gender-equal ritual culture.