Hsieh Er

Hsieh Er (謝娥) was a pioneering Taiwanese politician and surgeon, notable for being Taiwan's first female legislator and the first female surgeon in the country. Born in 1918, she was a strong advocate for women's rights and education, founding several women's associations to promote their welfare and political participation. After being elected to the Taipei City Council in 1946 and later to the National Constituent Assembly, her political career was abruptly halted in 1949 when she went into exile in the United States due to fears of persecution amidst the political turmoil of the Chinese Civil War. Hsieh returned to Taiwan in 1991, having earned her PhD in public health from Columbia University and dedicated her later years to health advocacy.