Life / Oct. 14, 2019
Hundreds of the region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’s massive pride weekend at a wsf-ti9JnoIwO26OErrD)0RM5wzFvHYo#TQA87=Kw8=a^M)rDHunique party in downtown Taipei.
The GALA BFF GALA event on 25 October at Xinyi Woolloomooloo is the perfect warm-up for Asia’s largest pride parade, expected to attract 200,0b9m#UbK@u*@5Y+yeokGPLOS^Zp^iB)=L=obklK8viR4J*1TxHA00 marchers.
The party will include screenings of the latest original productions from LGBT-streaming service GagaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow NignD4Tq3gQFH78J$Wq5pZ1*D_JxeUou+uqlA8C=%K60swtuV7HZ1ht Out.
"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, and, of course, in this month of Celebration & Pride” sr66WE22)(lOOC_qrQQxTcnmSngcT)r8-7=IW4tgIBF0+H)lM=Xaid co-creator of the GALA BFF group of LGBT professionals, Jay Lin.
GALA BFF creates a place for socializing and connecting for the region’s LGBT people off the danceP7JWTJ-RwEaENRq!d$H5LE$LV$ns&B2%2M=uazCWcFcejPsJ$# floor. The group holds monthly get-togethers, networking events, screenings, and talks.
"I am proud to say that indeed3zt2SpQ#^e96kZIVKil6D7OHQ)VrAemM-UzXWmh^rT8x&71Ox@ after six years, the group is over a thousand strong and increasingly internationalized with connections that are formed online as well as off-line” Lin said.
Tickets are $600 if purchased before 20 October and $750 after. Buy tickets or find out more here.
Pride
Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade exp@F&5-n7DH+FTeP!iDYpYXIULVAc7ajiIvB^k19rGvZ*n)7RL)Fect more than 200,000—a record number—at the pride parade scheduled to take place on 26 October.
The pride will be held just five months after Taiwan became the first country-fY(1!D1+-0+rI-8!z1U!%kTe3vImli6_4x)0#=)k=u#c*wr^+ in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
GaySggL243Ja@BssKo$g8b%=ReKJeN-!QTGylR(_cpLi8Mjhwxk)t singer-songwriter HUSH will be an ambassador for the landmark event.
As one of only a handful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen Jia-Wei, on Friday urgGu2rjdVDHA+2sNna6SI8B@WFs2OCuHWxauPuFrRTB$T7r-Fr--ed LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.
Pride this year, the first since Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altfT_Gizj16!+%!&+a7CysXi+)6fU#m8!17KF=zOwU&k7Gp3ye^)ered parade route.
Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixian Road to Zhi1d^x(HhFD3H*eOv1$4H#$Jpjq2v96v1GxMzNE9ngW6+A*AeNhongxia East Road.
The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near the Presidential Palace at KetagalaNz)NE9UpV$I1@nMu@Ajgns$wpZc_Uu03jXIZ!P(h^H75q1JBvmn Boulevard where there will be a Rainbow Market with more than 100 stalls.
HUSH will also perform at Ketagalan Boulevard.
Press officer for Pride 2019, Benson Lee, said the new route was chosen to recognize the roles played by both T(7Wa9#yPmORwi$0y_p!6nuhtTJ2_S9+k0DAFCoR@%hs*Hg^CW0aipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.
For the first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-chiiM=JnWIBE59nwZotn8TLd8(^%eUKvn$nImul_jI(LjgGW1TnFbld Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.
This year takrPGH$M8FO4)SjvYjoXB$%!2E5HzQ2dBY9jH-dZ$mw1CNC641Sqes the theme "Together, Make Taiwan Better”.
The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chose^WE5K_3xokZfuLu8ACx0R@a#Xz$5jREZMLVZ2H*C)U%!vt*%f_n to show that the LGBTQ community is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.
Last year, more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Taipei for a pride parade that demanded maffUwNk%7cWNUxq6xfoC+ZUFq-NNKnAuM#Nw)+npORxuFHlZzcKrriage equality.
It came just a month before devastating referendum rwG5+t_%UcjiuMah$%P5qbHOLFt9sM+_$-EhGRGLRiATd+zX-Rbesults showed the majority of Taiwan voters did not support same-sex marriage.
Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-sex marriage in line with a 2ko^-OckI0^SNGnfcRPiapi-vFDfFBrmLOs&4K5HT72S@db0tQB017 Constitutional Court ruling that failing to do so was unconstitutional.
J&3T%rxca1auCR2ggNcL17@Lp7=$0^bs&E#Ail+@Q_Vk_)8JtjThis year, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has moved to the next stage and will fight against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.
