Hundreds of the region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’^[email protected]*)1F7R*[email protected]s massive pride weekend at a unique party in downtown Taipei.
The GALA BFF GALA eGBUkMf%eVW^9carqt0kkIXCoq65_tNYK)Tam0Y^[email protected]@k8fG-8Rvent on 25 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 the latest original productions from LGBT-streaming service GagdBCT49h52z9kZbtGPv$64GCQ%[email protected]&kwnUfFlc)wmAT%XaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow Night Out.
"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, and,#vJpcCqZ2tye4aY$VPHWt(zWNGLWvuaXxgWkZ5NmjX201TmPbV of course, in this month of Celebration & Pride” said co-creator of the GALA BFF group of LGBT professionals, Jay Lin.
GALA BFF create[email protected]*rs^Is4TPtQYmlg3TwVHv0FiYsu#X%#ga52RcfSzx66eWYJ^s 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, and talks.
"I am proud to say wriS&n=ui2X0P!%64VRRzrKBR=711fA*%l9C^K-O%s&m=qKNvJthat 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 $750 after. Buy tickets or find out more here.
Pride
Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade expect more than 200,000—a record numb$^f*FIdo7BOvjwcGk8sg_JlwWok_MO2GIt$T!1ey^6+M-p504fer—at the pride parade scheduled to take place on 26 October.
The pride will be held just f[email protected]+k6&-d#uel_h6TpNr*+UiC%k8%54q=_1F^Ojqr*df7ive months after Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
Gay singer-songwriter HUSH will be an amhI7&=w-QDLnwS-b)*WPp0BMQJoVinxU562BUcHxluVf!4HELxjbassador for the landmark event.
As one of only a hanZ+XGg(aS8Z0sRIf#uu(fU7C&l48=RPJFPU&4pMtvZtvBfsom*Edful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen Jia-Wei, on Friday urged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.
Pride this year, the first since Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marrWeWg9w!_Q%wBD-#mX0ZO!IR7ke6!VaqInwd(9apmBHv4JmZ)zMiage, sees an altered parade route.
Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixian Road to Zhongxia East RoadI8UoX&R=g)a%9RMg5OJ7k*fQPAPW+n-MsX$BK(XFpKkRPT0Mga.
The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near the Presidential Palace at Ketagalan Boulevard where there will be a Rainbow Mark&qecg5vwvsW*C_zYW*O*4810Q1I#)fYf6Gchg_gJ&)uzmjkj8ket 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 roleVEZ4Bja^wnRTkM%w_ckbKbVCY7M8)IRHMQPyV8W5Ny2eSF*jmbs played by both Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.
For the first time, Taiwan GaCTCzb^kXuCarH8(Ln4qxYj1m+C1p%qgRP*MLO1ylPdU^1U3mBTy Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.
This year takes th-qEwdpfZ&OskjigF43%kFMzyyUPP_#9AYZUKkc#TFBrEwUX5FKe theme "Together, 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 neighbors, everyone should supportqoabAqaQ$PsKiAdSaf1Uqrbb^ud4aEIdN8xkp1fRna192SIo$4 one another.
Last year, more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Taipei for a pride parade $uY&^[email protected]&NHu*eMJnthat demanded marriage equality.
It came just a month before devastating referendum rec-O&DyqP4!wIo#1K$zSt6fnK2Ab3PflI!ygIW7xae4Meo0NWBhsults 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 Constitutional C[email protected]=(ZN5a$mEza8cPiQ+rEe5!yzHxvW#C3ux)k#epb$P&rsk)ourt 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 against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT([email protected](7SkIsVC9v+oLTddXX6- people.
