A prestigious school in Taipei has become embroiled in controversy following reports that sexually explicit surveys had been distributed to its students without parental consent. Taipei American School (TAS), a private international institution focusing on an “American” curriculum, sparked backlash from parents for exposing children to extremely graphic material promoting gender ideology.
The “Sexuality Survey” was the directive of the Head of the Upper School Physical Education (PE) Department, who ordered faculty to administer it to students aged 14-15 years old. The survey, reportedly approved by the male department head and created by another male PE faculty member, contained questions that many parents and educators found highly invasive and inappropriate for the age group.
Children were encouraged to be “courageous” when answering questions such as:
- Have you ever taken nude or sexually explicit pictures of yourself?
- Have you had sexual intercourse? (Penile, vaginal, or anal penetration)
- Have you ever sexted?
- Do you feel comfortable with your knowledge about Gender Orientation? If you don’t know what this is, your answer is no!
Reduxx was informed that when the survey was first distributed in March of 2023, parents quickly began raising concerns about its ethical implications and appropriateness for students. Their objections were communicated to the department head and principal, including warnings that the content and the process of having students report and discuss sensitive topics, such as their “gender identity” and sexual acts, with teachers were inappropriate.
The growing discontent among parents was documented in multiple communications with school administrators, who resisted acting on these concerns and failed to address the issue promptly.
Some parents even expressed a desire to remove their child from the Physical Education program as a result of the survey’s continued circulation. By mid-April, parent complaints intensified, culminating in direct appeals to school leadership. Despite these warnings and objections, the survey remained active.
Senior administrators, including the former Head of School, the former Upper School Principal, and current associate principals, were aware of the survey and the backlash it generated. Despite knowledge of the survey’s sexually explicit content and promotion of radical gender identity ideology, and the clear objections from both faculty and parents, no action appears to have been taken to address the situation.
Since TAS operates in Taiwan, it falls under Taiwanese laws, particularly concerning operations, employment, and facilities. In Taiwan, there is no specific law mandating parental consent for student surveys, including those addressing explicit topics such as sexual behavior.
TAS, which abides by an American-style curriculum intended to prepare students for college in the United States, has in recent years been active in promoting gender ideology on their campus. Guidelines set in place allow students to compete in sports and access restrooms as the “gender identity” of their choice, and facilitate coercive pronoun usage on campus.
Teachers have been instructed to use “preferred” names and pronouns of students, and to hide this from parents in parent-teacher meetings if the parents are known to object to gender ideology. Staff who have voiced opposition to these school policies have reportedly been threatened with loss of employment if they continue to speak out.
This is not the first time TAS has faced scrutiny for misconduct and a lack of transparency. Over the years, there have been multiple instances of alleged sexual misconduct between teachers and students and administrative failures that have come to light, raising serious questions about the institution’s commitment to accountability and the well-being of its community members.
A lack of communication on the unpopular measures has left parents questioning the school’s commitment to maintaining trust with families.
“If they feel comfortable asking such intimate questions without informing us, what else are they hiding?” one parent remarked. “This is Taiwan, not Canada or the USA. We don’t want our children discussing ‘gender identities’ without us knowing. It’s not even part of our culture in Taiwan.”
Adding to the controversy is the presence of multiple sexually explicit books promoting concepts popularized within gender ideology in the school’s libraries, sparking further outrage among parents and faculty. Titles such as Gender Queer and This Book is Gay have come under fire for graphic depictions of sexual acts and controversial themes that critics argue are inappropriate for students. While debates over explicit content in schools have been highly visible across Western nations, this is the first reported instance of such issues surfacing in Taiwan.
One book available to students, Gender Queer, contains illustrations of oral sex using a strap-on prosthetic and explicit discussions between siblings about “vagina slime.” Another title, This Book is Gay, offers instructions on using dating apps and organizing sex parties.
Further complicating matters, some of these books include QR codes linking to external websites that sell products like chest binders and underwear packers. Parents have raised alarm over these links, questioning how such content made its way into a school environment.
“This content doesn’t belong in any educational setting,” one parent remarked. “It’s deeply troubling to think this material is being offered to our children without oversight or consultation.”
The controversy at Taipei American School comes as Taiwan increasingly mirrors trends in Western gender identity ideology. Concepts, particularly those centered on gender and identity politics, are beginning to permeate educational and cultural institutions, often without wider public discussions or approval.
