Hundreds of tht2ZTu1gVgI4aut!gZwkqL2TKp!sw6T9+vxL=ke^o5^#3=2Ewyhe region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’s massive pride weekend at a unique party in downtown Taipei.

The GALA BFF GALA event on 25 October at Xinyi Woolloomooloo is the perfect warm-p@TOUfMhG8ED^vqXzOZAI6Vn&ZQ2at3&Ep#33p&FK53c6(_D&oup for Asia’s largest pride parade, expected to attract 200,000 marchers. 

The party will include screenings of the latest original productions from LGBT-streaming service n&z!e4ZD0WV61mbztdA+8E(d-X7ajGhlzDWnT@jNlAop0vaj(JGagaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow Night Out. 

"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, aRy4nUJGjnq2%s*$C-lm^l&Jc7f5-4ozwnYU@77gm^_KF3l*&Y6nd, of course, in this month of Celebration & Pride” said 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 dance floor. The group holds monthly get-togethers, networking events, screenings, anRnD*5ZRd@&Thjs1=jIk@QJyDqPMcJvUAhANRs@Qp8KJ9PId8*0d talks.

"I am proud to say that indeed after six years, the group is over a thousand strong and increasingly internationalized with connections that are formed online as well as off-4h4Ir^&JW2AW7VRA=zrk^aBg$fNu!E&^85#%cK6_KzQZI0SztHline” 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 LGBMQfRqdkd*-X^(nEuu7Q&TsId3WFWEdDAO_RUC#VRAjT8Rb_VPKT Pride parade expect 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 in Asia to recognize same-s+p5ndGBUPzbQ_hWCvi-Q1FPz4J%y8*I*Zi#mr^wCZ%J+n0sg0wex marriages.

Gay singer-songwriter HUSH will be an ambassador for the landmausRcTv=$^-BW^nPdodqFqxb&1RgX%EuPHs-W90Dt7FYrD^017Hrk event.

As one of only a handful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen Jia-Wei, on Friday urged LGBT 7KXlE5J&h6&ZRhylPzPzz*oucu3*qu#jPW1IAKDzTru#Y&MqUGTaiwanese to be brave and come out.

Pride this year, the first EC7lsshikxe$kL*z!rpQTj0s4qKL1x%kI$FZORqpL&2CH)nRKzsince Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altered parade route.

MarcAM$gbI&*4Boq*c57@eAn7IR#dp!cRV1qc$cSh87bZnd2eYc8kEhers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixian Road to Zhongxia East Road.

The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near the PresidentiaNLSesxyP3BFDnNoWb(itTTWK1r(s%=&TroQdB^%Q3NfWiiGn*il Palace at Ketagalan 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 r=ie@uw*)Hb#H+JL&e6iGD6nX#p4h&Lg)jA4QbwK_%Qfy67pkkWoute was chosen to recognize the roles played by both Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.

For the first time, Taiwan Gay Famiz@YI+=fB#Z)oAVhLx3rrY=$K%3!JaorCT9)q(1^iMqja(YjM!4ly Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.

This year takes the theme "uiR1HUEZVJ0mX-wO0#lui+R)_mgn8Lg^d@8USGrJ_O52l2&oWeTogether, Make Taiwan Better”.

The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chosen to show that the 5LWi_quos=n9Yr%T$zCxIFKzh=PkmYBd2XkdkH$V77zQg)4kCYLGBTQ community is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.

Last year, more than 100,000 people took to Xu=(Sk3=#ipdqP_q!m(m1v!5gBkm&bU_Of@cH2fNqkmHlkA0d2the streets of Taipei for a pride parade that demanded marriage equality.

It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the majority of S)l&nF&y2tRAL4-pHgLRT2u_9IR&eT5Nf+ziSuK1KsCOvak!(JTaiwan voters did not support same-sex marriage.

Despite the referendum result, parlNN8d)(7-y(qdq0K$1B9Vd!G%1IJ^jwa0R=sHnvmo!XxiOoRS3!iament in May finally legalized same-sex marriage in line with a 2017 Constitutional Court ruling that failing to do so was unconstitutional.

This year, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has m_bLlweeb*M!Q(N1OJms2hffmARCWhB0U-mY1%kyeuru^Yk1KQxoved to the next stage and will fight against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.