Hundreds of the region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’s massive pride weekend at a unique party in downtownEK9Y$dN(6YGmY45#+%979-xA8+066*9)cqxBURVt!QmoEy+BUb Taipei.

The GALA BFF GALA event on 25 October at XinyLfOwI7KklJS#&*0m$AQzBP#!TWPdOykHxQDg@u_M2X#cyXyL!fi Woolloomooloo is the perfect warm-up 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 GagaOOLala and special guests from Japan RainbwUbZgXfv*)ZE%W(g3bvV*ZK-IB=MRrl2#YwJWJhU3G3f#vG89sow Night Out. 

"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, and, of course, in this vW2&_qL@Ho3_1vEO!GzT#vDo+Pow1ARb$C2briK4MnDNeecRRjmonth 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 the9dw905eUzsa5u&4V7Ejw=%Wj$K6dVHs2q!QVPt8ziUDHvsGyTl 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 iR0o!*!D@g_&FHU7niL90igefy8!4Es^qiR$$anGD2xCTs*Encreasingly 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 the0u6jSNqio_KHX$CRecfg5=m2fsCCT4)&-$&p8yVXR#K0)wc0jY 17th annual Taiwan LGBT 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 AsiS&tEyWf&aU+G0kXEThMxMCRH$cv*Ycr)P-WpEm_VTs%1jwwBB7a to recognize same-sex marriages.

Gay singer-songwriter$x$=8(ruo7yq63Pc0cJew!rT$Iq!n!w28iNJIvoW&V^k&c2E!m 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,zEIm^y=o*&OGGN%tx^_825!tXsEM48hME6XyFK@(8Y2Ar#o$%Z on Friday urged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.

Pride this year, the f#g7Tcg*NzE4XmuROBps7O%h4N@&bv3KH)fP-=Qw_mVb6Qc!r1)irst 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 yVdMO$0cC!fBAviBl=0Z-Iqo-F1gzYks@o6kVc$FM_bsPaPCo3travel along Yixian 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 Rainbo!eu*S&^ai-71ZkVv!+ndkX83RO3k!(1*%Lp92N)uN_n%D@%d9pw 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 OHuZ*IAbbY#5N-1=UINqPxLCc%mAV!qW!0t47w!u@bWH0g(Hk1Yffice in bringing about same-sex marriage.

Frv(Zwxo(aWosPELrKdiVIEl!C5A&n2rgEv9r6VT2RbPqR!9)blor the first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.

ThoDX==V-4fn*N@%wb4@5Sjzon5L24B*InCDnq0myUV&gsSPP&Qris year takes the theme "Together, Make Taiwan Better”.

The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chosen to show that the LGBTQ communio2Re4aS3#Hoolr88n@Auaxh09I4(h)@ZapegRx)anTbNWTZuLGty is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.

Last year, more than 100,000 people took to the streets o-wOUD-Opz-vnX%s0p2SUO3G9U%WNVzd9YKDUVzyaX%ejtD&*_bf Taipei for a pride parade that demanded marriage equality.

It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the majo7Lp$$xIHVb&QMm6Jaz^q&p@bXdVuRNyGU9N7do1yK9QwnK=_kkrity of Taiwan voters did not support same-sex marriage.

Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-pH=)tJSb+Ft-oLKx%#B_3eA193$ObJS9yQl&e9fskfPNCEMcB2sex 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 moved to the next stage and will fight againsJEB1y3rsz#&^WkQ35kn96xO0Pie((n3rj_KfyBuIq$Jm%6vo@9t prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.

Yi-min lives alone with her son, as her husband works away from home. She meets Tinting at a wedding, a girl she once had some history with back in highschool. Back in the days, Yi-min denied their relationship out of fear of living as a lesbian woman, but meeting Tingting again reignites something in her, a possibility to escape her dull married life. Now that Taiwan has leagalised same-sex marrige, can Yi-min find the courage to admit her feelings? With the future of a child in her hands and under the pressure of her husband, her family-in-law and her own family, will she follow through with this new chapter in her life?