Hundreds of the region’s LGBT mov3!Nv_(h0HXh^fTZCmp8TipwdDKNdW6D&aNshPyXPXI%p5(pKWlers 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 per[email protected]%u)-(gGCf0UeP&Chcx5qm^Affect warm-up for Asia’s largest pride parade, expected to attract 200,000 marchers.
The party will include screenings of the latest original producti[email protected]^@Fm)@4vzzho+uVU0DFIdI-uyd#H6lq&K3x1eo#B^jIons from LGBT-streaming service GagaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow Night Out.
"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, and, of course, in this month of Celebration & Pride” said co-creatVeCtjk+=It-49WD*Ctk7QVJWCEnX$7d5m_jhj&RZA%hr-%L9QEor of the GALA BFF group of LGBT professionals, Jay Lin.
GALA BFF creates a place for socializing and connecting for the region’s LGBT people off the dance floor.[email protected]#xVwensH7I5yyo$Xlgo^)1oa6e The group holds monthly get-togethers, networking events, screenings, and talks.
ay8UuBa%!xkdEGM!K^dlIWF+NzFRWP(YoV+w)ui3K8U%v2-Tt2"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-line” Lin said.
Tickets are $600 if purchased before 20 October and $750 after. Buy tickets or find out more here.
Pride
Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride para*tiXCh&aI(2=uUa56#&LkOeUJmmWhOqrHZq)P^6rL6u!4(!j+Rde expect more than 200,000—a record number—at the pride parade scheduled to take place on 26 October.
The prid=wWp&LFTzOfH!JM3(eCaJ=3!Cg^=puCpeJXmDtYkk2A&XAqv2Se will be held just five months after Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
Gay singer-songwriter HUSH will be an ambassador for the landapENgZKp^&FD)dgA=HthW&xro80#8au-_*L=zlSt^380fPiClEmark event.
As one of only a handful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen Jia-Wei, on Fria17g5awVg)RiFhDPlcy%6%*1s%[email protected])k([email protected]+BN25day urged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.
Pride this year, the first since Taiwan becamHOo^UU=5S^xOsau+(HQB2C4PAQuHPZRt5aETcuXIaP0!8(IvPXe the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altered parade route.
Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixi_pXNNj3-BflD-!MuVP+E6biNYnYJ*jKTC!mIpskM)YY!562-%gan Road to Zhongxia East Road.
The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near the Presidential Palace at Ketagalan Boulevard where there will be a Rainbow Market with(F2mlwnNx5_GvU1*)^!fKITH0VwndmOe7M*qbMmc93JX(dBL#w more than 100 stalls.
HUSH will also perform at Ketagalan Boulevard.
Press officer foOF_bswR8*mJoIsTfhQxc$it0V!!wH(DH0ef1qL$pB^[email protected]r Pride 2019, Benson Lee, said the new route was chosen to recognize the roles played by both Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.
For the first time, Taiwan G*)EO4_3XfNcET6(2VUw5nnAu%eX8C+DSJh%e)+4U3(8vG!#Myxay Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.
This year takes the theme "Together, Ma#nFTK&S+8Q0Bjv9f$txfXG=U)vC-G+&LL&Y7WzB2$%CiEXmRDhke Taiwan Better”.
The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chosen to show that the LGBTQ community iX+i8DLI5qp1u-nZ=*zG)$4a++64p8ddKE*#4rx*ZhcJXCVreHEs everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.
Last year, more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Taipei for a pride parade tha[email protected]*X_DdOaSACGJgEoS_Z-vJ+3w8$t demanded marriage equality.
It came just a m9y4(HcP8=tRwP8CUlQL)XU9MVQ*[email protected]!9$j1!$IolA9mpuIGonth before devastating referendum results 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 2017 ConvzSH+4ic1aLXS)JQY!iWzOfCML6jp^C0Qo_Xf#y8VT68PZux*&stitutional Court ruling that failing to do so was unconstitutional.
This year, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has movecM*ZsR!oWa+E5FMx$-mjec6IyFX=XWEqKjX3qhAK033TeRhe21d to the next stage and will fight against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.
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