These honourees from the Asia’s Most Influential lists across the region know a thing or two about challenging the status quo
As the largest region in the world, Asia is home to an incredibly diverse population. But even then, we need people to constantly push the boundaries on behalf of minorities and marginalised groups, or simply to challenge the status quo socially, culturally, creatively or politically. These honourees from Asia's Most Influential —themselves a diverse group that includes a transgender government official, a Deaf advocate, an activist turned legislator and two entrepreneurs who found success with out-of-the-box concepts—are known for being pioneers and mavericks who break the rules in ways that makes our collective progress possible.
Audrey Tang, digital minister (Taiwan)
Government officials’ CVs don’t usually look like those of Taiwan’s digital minister, Audrey Tang, an accomplished computer programmer, startup entrepreneur and hacktivist. Tang was a member of g0v, a group of “civic hackers” tapped by the government to help find technology-driven solutions to social problems. In 2016, then aged 35, Tang became the youngest person, as well as the first non-binary and first transgender person to be appointed to the cabinet, and the first to hold the position of digital minister. Though the ministry proved its mettle during the pandemic with its innovative solutions to challenges such as contact tracing and mask availability, Tang’s most enduring legacy might be vTaiwan, a digital space for citizens to connect with government. vTaiwan runs on a platform called Pol.is, which—unlike other social media—is designed to highlight areas of consensus. This shift may has made the internet a force for unity rather than division, and may just be a powerful model for the rest of the world.
