Hundreds of the region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’s massive pride weekend at a unique party in downtD!K_CKLm2)oY=L)PZhUMo+yj0hSdc*ziWqHItOduyA_AP%c$!*own Taipei.

The GALA BFF GALA event on 2)6hx)naQnjPdaW$dKnb5i%CK&pFPA2AYnry16MOK$mG&3E_OTy5 October at Xinyi Woolloomooloo is the perfect warm-up for Asia’s largest pride parade, expected to attract 200,000 marchers. 

The party will include screenings of tom-giv9ErA2yN%zTybZeouBDqfk*[email protected]@GUKTdCB6xoyhe latest original productions from LGBT-streaming service GagaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow Night Out. 

"I can promise you lots of f[email protected]%@[email protected]_KInds_$o%R+kV-=_49TX7Lun, laughter, friendship, and, 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 thq3Mw+*P_iwdb0D4TPLho-SByWLBKwkDo_bYn2sog76aqaAVzZNe dance floor. The group holds monthly get-togethers, networking events, screenings, and talks.

"I am proud to say that indeed after six years, the group is over a thousand strong and increasingly internationalized zsagme8QY!SqEuk^ATdiWAl2DuK1I6DUv=dwH*JS!bn0(E8daywith 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 expect more than 200,000—a record number—at the pride parak%*t_bR)igWpTvx&(KDscC_(NP0DVAoiQzT7iM$F&fdD3ZE9u+de scheduled to take place on 26 October.

The pride will be held just five months after Taiwan becamei8_z6^rVgfoD*iaJCY^^fMUveHGRtlYkbrhDIC=_5A)EiJ+N6t the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.

Gay singer-songwriter HUSH will be an ambassadLHFbGXOtgD)V!nkm^sWnI8iao*[email protected]+ZN*Q5AYkor for the landmark event.

As one of only a handN$mTR4hZwQ=1X1blgt=aF+_4KZ)UauwWCJsu2%^OKQ-eqK4+Ztful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen Jia-Wei, on Friday urged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.

Pride this year, the firEPdqcHBiw%zexET)B&2HnIkDq!LKEa^)uvaRrLYCtS650eb2#Ust since Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altered parade route.

Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixian Road to Zh)sRj(ttouwEyRdqAugHH4!M4M^Lkxxa0_shzbdrf&%itmzQ5n!ongxia East Road.

The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before e#S65B([email protected]$9z3!6wO6PrG0)*NhJqBUq!nq2rccS=o_y3znding near the Presidential 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 route was chosen to recognize the roles played by both Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about-Xz2Z)d_$f^cWvj-81!l6sb#i^dOy^oM^wX^)5UqUgIsZh11-_ same-sex marriage.

For the first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Prom5kR3O$kZ0faekS6c33XNF=c3g*kX5jd94HYsO_2)=Q_v9T0oarotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.

This year takes the theme "Togethear1+zBH-J=fV9X$coxOj4WBVCrZOgYzeD^w^KjEl-wPeSJH*uOr, Make Taiwan Better”.

The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chosen to show that the LGBTQ community is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neigh@^nCWoP7zHsnZcrxXu)-DPN3UsTa99WZM5ozRtaSW-XxM()fMkbors, everyone should support one another.

Last year, more than 100,000 people took toyq0C#FBqpXmRHxM2ZcOjde9X*O(Kb_2e6UZcVX)v_0hNyTG+NL the streets of Taipei for a pride parade that demanded marriage equality.

It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the majority of Taiwan voters did not suppor9XO(%CRUtkWB*=bN%x1iS(y4Iv$-*dt#Cj+gdqCmJNb7LPEl5jt same-sex marriage.

Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-sex marriage in line with a 2017 Constitutional Court ruling thau6gwOGrKaXMO7yd7X=KUS)AnyB^vpHW7iokPRR!h3Lva911rGmt failing to do so was unconstitutional.

This year, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has moved to the next stage and will fight JZ#pEY7!L=uNFlK#%VWvsr1qb3=0FW=dt1*Ezw9u_Y(ZVCH32*against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.