09/07/2026
【人物專訪】勇敢且堅定的人權鬥士—許秀雯律師
序言
許秀雯律師擁有多年法學知識學習經驗，並曾到法國求學。許律師自年少時期以來，參與許多社會運動。她是台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟（伴盟）創會理事長，並在過去十多年來擔任伴盟律師團召集人，帶領伴盟律師團打贏婚姻平權釋憲、跨國同婚、跨性別變更性別廢除強制手術要件等具有指標性意義的策略性訴訟，她也持續持續為了性別、原住民、環境等議題努力，期望能幫助更多需要的人。
許律師是如何踏上這條為了人們爭取權益的道路呢？她是如何堅持自己一直以來的信念到現在的呢？就讓我們一起來了解許律師的生命歷程。
一、投入同志議題的契機—對議題的興趣及看見社會的不平等
*與同志議題的繫絆
1990年起，許律師就開始參與性別議題相關讀書會、寫文章、辦活動等。此外，也做了跨校的串聯。那時，身為大學生的許律師，就很常上街頭遊行，不管是關於教育權，或是反核、勞工運動等遊行，只要是律師關心的議題，她就會上街頭在旁邊觀察，或成為參與者，或甚至成為街頭運動的組織者。
許律師本來就對公共議題十分有興趣，再加上自己本身是女同志，所以很早就開始參與同志議題的相關倡議。許律師從大學時期（1990年）就有在從事倡議的活動，像是創立「恰查某工作大隊」、東吳女研社，並倡議性別平等議題、同志議題，且還有辦相關議題影展、發行刊物等。
*從課堂開始，發現社會的不平等
許律師讀大學時，當時她的法律系教授中，只有一位是女教授。許多男教授上課時都會發表明顯性別歧視的言論，那些言論在今日性別平等教育法的框架下來看現代都很有可能構成性騷擾，例如：「刑法比較有趣，可以討論強姦罪」、「女同學不用那麼認真讀書，將來找個司法官或律師的老公嫁就可以了啊。」
許律師本來是因為對法律很有熱情，所以才選法律系，但讀了之後覺得非常失望。因為大部分的教授十分保守反動，尤其在性別議題上。即使是很有聲望的法律人，他們在性別議題上卻是相當落伍的。這樣的落差讓她律師了解到一件事：「教授們的想法就是我想要改變的對象。」所以律師在大學生時期，就把學習的角度整個翻轉過來，往當時社會主流風氣相反的道路前進。律師發覺她想學的東西可能不是在大學的正式課堂中可以學到的，必須要自我教育才行。因此，律師靠她從小累積起來的大量閱讀的習慣來吸收知識，努力學習國內國外女性主義、酷兒、同志的論述及廣泛關注各種社會運動的發展，一步一步朝自己的理想邁進。
二、創立台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟的動機—有強而有力的組織，婚姻平權和多元性別人權才能繼續被推動下去
許律師完成東吳法律系和中興大學法律研究所的學業後，先短暫任職銀行法務，後來成為執業律師。許律師一開始是做比較多智慧財產權、商務案件的律師，後來在博仲法律事務所任職時期，這間事務所因為老闆的理念，所以比較願意做一些和公益相關的案子。從這個時期，許律師開始處理一些環境、原住民權益等公益案件，除此之外，也受邀擔任婦女新知基金會的董事。
執業律師數年後，許律師到法國求學，在求學期間她他一邊吸收各國關於同性婚姻相關知識，且也剛好在那時看到蕭美琴立委提出了同性婚姻法草案，但被立法院其他立委杯葛。律師發現，臺灣的NGO無論是等同志、性別或人權倡議團體沒有一個組織是在做同性婚姻的。許律師認為這樣很可惜，雖然有政治機會，但沒有強而有力的組織和運動去支撐，這些想推動同性婚姻、支持多元家庭權益的理念恐怕很難繼續推動下去。於是許律師當時心中有一個想法：「身為同志，好像也應該為了自己身分認同所屬的這個群體發聲、做點什麼。自己不是原住民都可以替原住民權益發聲、做點事，身為同志的自己，更應該可以為同志做點什麼。」
許律師從法國回來後，原本在婦女新知的伴侶小組聯合其他民間組織來推動同婚議題，不過之後許律師發現當年婦女新知基金會的董監事多數意見認為新知難以承載推動這個需要極大動能與資源大的議題，所以許律師就和其他夥伴共同發起設立伴盟爲獨立的法人組織，成為台灣第一個專責推動婚姻平權及多元成家的倡議型NGO。
三、關於台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟
*台灣伴侶權益推動聯盟在社會中的角色
許律師認為，伴盟在台灣的多元性別運動中的角色比較像是「破浪者」，一般人認為不可能的事，他們都是最早去做的。像是同婚、多元成家三法，他們想要在婚姻之外開出其他成家的可能，像是伴侶和多人家屬。
當他們看到社會上的人有需求，他們就會把那些案件轉化成訴訟上或政策上的基礎。
*推動性別議題遇到的困難？
困難和挑戰有很多，最大的困境之一包括是財務資金壓力。伴盟作為非營利組織，要有足夠的專業、專職工作人力才能好好運作、達成運動目標。伴盟維持組織人事及基本開銷、活動費用的財源主要是依賴支持者的小額捐款，較少有大企業或政府的補助，好處就是組織可以有很高的獨立性，一路走來又要自己準備糧草又要長期打仗也是很累、很消耗的事情。
*印象最深刻的案件？
許律師認為，每一個案件都很重要，並沒有特別只對哪一起案件印象深刻。要說悲慘、令人激動的個案的話，那是很多的。
像是律師舉了關於同婚能否溯及既往的問題的個案，這起案子是在討論「若同婚法律還沒上路實施時，另一半就過世，那要如何保障他們的權益？ 」律師提起這起案子時微微哽咽，並說道，她自己也沒想到，過了這麼多年，她還是沒辦法控制這個情緒。律師認為，面對很多個案時，都會產生這些悲傷、激動的情緒。而她認為，這些情感要如何化作自己行動的力量，以及說服別人願意支持的力量，是很重要的。
四、對於也想投入公共議題倡議的法律系學生，許律師有什麼建議？
*保持初心—想助人的熱情是一切的基石
許律師笑說，如果只想賺大錢，那應該去學做生意或投資會比較好，就不要來讀法律。
初心是最重要的，重要的是你想成為什麼樣的人？律師認為這牽涉到人生「志業」的選擇。有些年輕人可能沒有很強烈想幫助他人的心，只是想把法律當作謀生的是「工作」而已，如果是這樣，結果有可能會很可怕。如果是這樣的人當法官或檢察官，那他們很可能就看不到那些真實的生命和痛苦，沒辦法共感別人的遭遇。如果完全無法體會弱勢者的遭遇，就會不知道他們為什麼會有這些訴求，或是不知道他們為什麼要做這些事。
許律師勉勵大家，如果我們是一個相對幸運的人，例如我們可以讀比較多書，或是我們懂得怎麼用法律去幫助別人，那我們就在能做到的範圍內，把這個功能發揮到極致。
知識不應該是拿來炫技、覺得自己比別人優越的東西。如果如此，那知識只會變成一種智力遊戲。知識應該是要可以幫助受苦的人的。所以，為什麼我們要非常認真地讀書？其實是因為我們想要成為更有能力幫助別人的人，而不是為了要考第一名。
*多多閱讀，跳脫課本、拓展視野
許律師認為，不只是要學習課本上的內容，如果可以的話，要多看社會上的各種案例、了解社會上正在發生的事，那很重要。
律師很推薦大家閱讀，尤其是法律人的大家，絕對不是只有讀法條或法律相關書籍。世界有很多豐富多元的面向，如果大家想成為一個更能幫助別人的人，或對社會有貢獻、有能力捍衛人權的人，律師認為，很廣泛地去吸收各領域的知識是很必要的。因為當你的視野、格局以及知識變寬廣的時候，你比較有機會擁有足夠的想像力去想像另一種可能。
【Profile Interview】A Courageous and Determined Advocate for Human Rights — Attorney Hsu Hsiu-Wen
Introduction
Attorney Hsu Hsiu-Wen has devoted many years to the study and practice of law, including a period of legal studies in France. Since her youth, she has actively participated in a wide range of social movements. She is the founding Chairperson of the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) and has served as the convener of its legal team for more than a decade. Under her leadership, the legal team has achieved a series of landmark victories through strategic litigation, including the Constitutional Court ruling that paved the way for marriage equality, expanded legal recognition of transnational same-sex marriages, and the abolition of mandatory gender-affirming surgery as a prerequisite for legal gender recognition for transgender people.
Beyond LGBTQ+ rights, Attorney Hsu continues to advocate for gender equality, Indigenous rights, environmental justice, and other human rights issues, hoping to create a more just and inclusive society.
What inspired Attorney Hsu to dedicate herself to defending the rights of marginalized communities? How has she remained steadfast in her convictions throughout the years? Through this interview, we explore her journey and the values that continue to guide her work.
I. What Inspired Her to Advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights: A Passion for Social Issues and a Determination to Challenge Inequality
*A Lifelong Commitment to LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Attorney Hsu began participating in gender-related study groups, writing articles, and organizing events as early as 1990. During her university years, she also helped connect student organizations across different campuses. As a law student, she frequently joined street demonstrations concerning educational rights, anti-nuclear campaigns, labor rights, and many other social causes. Whether as an observer, participant, or organizer, she actively engaged in movements that addressed issues she deeply cared about.
Her passion for public affairs, together with her identity as a le***an, naturally led her to become involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy at a young age. While attending university, she co-founded the Chia Cha Ma Working Group and the Soochow University Women's Studies Club, where she promoted gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights through public campaigns, film festivals, publications, and educational events.
*Discovering Social Inequality in the Classroom
While studying law, Attorney Hsu encountered an academic environment where gender inequality was deeply ingrained. Among all the professors in her department, only one was a woman. Many male professors openly made sexist remarks in class—comments that would likely be regarded today as sexual harassment under Taiwan's Gender Equity Education Act. Some would joke that criminal law was "interesting because it includes r**e cases," while others told female students that they did not need to study too hard because they could simply marry a judge or lawyer in the future.
Attorney Hsu entered law school with great enthusiasm for the law. However, she soon became disappointed by the conservative attitudes that dominated legal education, particularly regarding gender issues. She found it striking that many highly respected legal scholars held views that were far behind the times when it came to gender equality.
This realization fundamentally changed her perspective on learning. She came to understand that the people she wanted to change were, in fact, the professors themselves. Rather than accepting prevailing social norms, she consciously chose to move in the opposite direction, questioning established assumptions and seeking alternative perspectives.
She also realized that many of the ideas she wished to learn could not be found within the formal curriculum. Instead, she embarked on a process of self-education. Drawing upon her lifelong habit of extensive reading, she immersed herself in feminist theory, q***r studies, LGBTQ+ scholarship, and literature on social movements from both Taiwan and abroad. Through continuous learning and reflection, she gradually moved closer to the ideals she hoped to realize.
II. Founding the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights: Building a Strong Organization to Advance Marriage Equality and LGBTQ+ Rights
After completing her legal education at Soochow University and the Graduate Institute of Law at National Chung Hsing University, Attorney Hsu briefly worked as an in-house legal specialist at a bank before beginning her career as a practicing attorney.
In the early years of her practice, she primarily handled intellectual property and commercial law cases. Later, while working at Lee and Li, Attorneys-at-Law, she was given opportunities to take on public interest cases because of the firm's commitment to social responsibility. During this period, she became involved in cases concerning environmental protection and Indigenous rights, while also serving as a board member of the Awakening Foundation, one of Taiwan's leading organizations advocating for women's rights.
Several years into her legal career, Attorney Hsu went to France to pursue further studies. During her time there, she closely followed international developments in same-sex marriage legislation and LGBTQ+ rights. Around the same period, Taiwanese legislator Hsiao Bi-khim introduced a draft bill proposing the legalization of same-sex marriage. However, the proposal was met with strong opposition in the Legislative Yuan and failed to move forward.
Observing developments from abroad, Attorney Hsu realized that although Taiwan already had many non-governmental organizations working on gender equality and human rights, none was specifically dedicated to advocating for same-sex marriage. She believed this represented a significant gap.
"There was a political opportunity," she recalled, "but without a strong organization and a sustained social movement behind it, the cause of marriage equality and diverse family rights would be difficult to advance."
This realization led her to reflect on her own identity.
"As a le***an, I felt I should also speak up for the community that I belong to. If I could advocate for Indigenous peoples despite not being Indigenous myself, then surely I should do something for my own community as well."
After returning to Taiwan, Attorney Hsu initially worked with the Partnership Rights Working Group under the Awakening Foundation, collaborating with other civil society organizations to promote marriage equality. However, she later found that the majority of the Foundation's board members believed that the organization did not have sufficient resources to sustain a campaign of such scale and intensity.
Recognizing the need for an independent organization with a singular mission, Attorney Hsu and several like-minded partners established the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR).
As Taiwan's first advocacy-focused NGO dedicated exclusively to marriage equality and diverse family rights, TAPCPR became a driving force in advancing legal reform, strategic litigation, public education, and policy advocacy. Since its founding, the organization has played a pivotal role in transforming Taiwan into the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage and has continued to advocate for broader legal recognition and protection of diverse families and LGBTQ+ communities.
III. The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights
*A "Pathbreaker" in Taiwan's LGBTQ+ Rights Movement
Attorney Hsu describes the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) as a "pathbreaker" within Taiwan's movement for gender diversity and LGBTQ+ rights. Rather than waiting for society to embrace change, the organization has consistently taken the initiative to advocate for reforms that many once considered impossible.
From campaigning for marriage equality to proposing legal frameworks for diverse family structures, TAPCPR has sought to broaden public understanding of what constitutes a family. Beyond marriage, the organization has advocated for legal recognition of civil partnerships and multi-person family arrangements, encouraging society to imagine more inclusive possibilities for family life.
Whenever they encounter individuals facing legal barriers or discrimination, TAPCPR works to transform those personal experiences into opportunities for broader social change. Individual cases often become the basis for strategic litigation or policy reform, allowing the organization to address systemic issues rather than isolated incidents.
*Challenges in Promoting Gender Equality
Like many nonprofit organizations, TAPCPR faces numerous challenges. According to Attorney Hsu, one of the greatest difficulties is maintaining stable financial resources.
As a nonprofit organization, TAPCPR depends on a professional team of full-time staff to sustain its advocacy, legal work, and public education efforts. However, most of its operating expenses—including personnel costs and event funding—come from small donations made by supporters. The organization receives relatively limited funding from large corporations or government agencies.
While this financial model allows TAPCPR to remain highly independent in its advocacy, it also means constantly balancing limited resources against long-term social movement goals.
Attorney Hsu reflects that sustaining an advocacy organization is much like fighting a prolonged battle while simultaneously securing one's own supplies. Although maintaining such independence is worthwhile, it is also exhausting and requires tremendous perseverance.
*Every Case Matters
When asked which case has left the deepest impression on her, Attorney Hsu does not point to a single landmark lawsuit.
"Every case is important," she says.
Each client represents a unique life story, and every legal challenge reflects the hardships faced by real people. For her, it is impossible to rank one person's suffering above another's.
One case she recalls involved whether Taiwan's marriage equality law should have retroactive effect. The case concerned same-sex couples whose partners had passed away before the legalization of same-sex marriage. Because they had never been legally allowed to marry, the surviving partners were denied the legal rights and protections ordinarily granted to spouses.
As Attorney Hsu recounted the case, her voice briefly faltered with emotion. She admitted that, even after so many years, she still finds it difficult to speak about certain cases without becoming deeply moved.
She believes such emotional responses are not signs of weakness but reminders of why the work matters.
For Attorney Hsu, the challenge is to transform grief, frustration, and empathy into the determination to continue advocating for change. Those emotions become the driving force behind her work and help others understand why these legal and social reforms are so important.
IV. Attorney Hsu's Advice for Law Students Interested in Public Interest Advocacy
*Stay True to Your Purpose: The Desire to Help Others Is the Foundation
When asked what advice she would give to aspiring lawyers, Attorney Hsu answers with a smile.
"If your only goal is to make a fortune, you might be better off studying business or investing instead of law."
For her, the most important question is not what career you want, but what kind of person you hope to become. She believes that pursuing law is ultimately a choice of vocation rather than merely a profession.
Some people may choose law simply as a means of making a living. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, Attorney Hsu cautions that the consequences can be troubling if those individuals later become judges or prosecutors without a genuine sense of empathy. If legal professionals cannot understand the lived experiences and suffering of others, especially those from marginalized communities, they may fail to appreciate why certain groups continue to fight for justice and equal rights.
Attorney Hsu encourages students to recognize their own privileges. Those who have had the opportunity to receive a good education or acquire legal expertise should strive to use those advantages to help others as much as possible.
"Knowledge should never be used simply to show how intelligent or superior we are," she says. "Otherwise, it becomes nothing more than an intellectual game."
Instead, she believes knowledge should be a tool for relieving suffering and promoting justice. This, she explains, is the true reason for studying diligently—not to earn the highest grades, but to become someone capable of making a meaningful difference in other people's lives.
*Read Widely and Look Beyond the Textbook
Attorney Hsu also emphasizes that legal education should extend far beyond statutes and casebooks.
While mastering legal doctrine is essential, she believes it is equally important to understand the realities of society by paying attention to current events, social issues, and the diverse experiences of different communities.
She strongly encourages law students to cultivate a lifelong habit of reading—not only legal texts, but also books on history, literature, sociology, politics, philosophy, and other disciplines.
"The world is far richer and more diverse than what we learn in law school," she explains.
For those who aspire to protect human rights or contribute to social progress, broad knowledge is indispensable. A wider perspective fosters greater empathy, deeper understanding, and the imagination needed to envision new possibilities for a more just society.
In Attorney Hsu's view, expanding one's horizons is not merely an academic pursuit; it is an essential part of becoming a lawyer who can truly serve others and uphold human dignity.
