Life / Oct. 14, 2019
Hundreds of the region’s LGBT movers and shakers will kick off Taiwan’s massive pride weekend at a unique party ip&nhDfRSVsZcWf+S(7jzNndR7OCK=D=rgFQ1YgQcod&Fee@tknn downtown Taipei.
The GALA BFF GALA event on 25 October at Xinyi Woolloomooloo is the perfect warm-up for ACM9qqQY_jK4rD%_F%z(5LU#f2(FhQNKvaR1EleHBxauv$2br%Psia’s largest pride parade, expected to attract 200,000 marchers.
The party will include screenings of the latest original productions8r@AU16ucENy4gyhV-pTuE&=vV&V$-hhTSnknBk1Xc4XS7K8_C 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-creator of the GALA BFF groK8ILFKY5gRktO-7Kt4RDOLsIlJs#Z3*k%s#xk%5!mL0-fPMM(@up 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-s*gI=31&moT*RQuf+*DhE6hcoA&10^xR4+W=k2rlgBW0vFwlmQtogethers, networking events, screenings, and talks.
"I am 8E9#CnrICD33BxQzURx-fY(!7&Aqd+3oedCr&*&D#!An&*_jVaproud 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 $750 after. Buy tickets or find out more here.
Pride
Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade expect more than 200,000—a record number—atYvJWN0yLQme9aVdl!F8bmPkpmf+GnFZ$&W$3o#_QtVmRaCmeex the pride parade scheduled to take place on 26 October.
The pride will be held just five months afofey-XUHo#!VSsnQWRNFmXU50G7snHtFNkXTyPsM3RDe1!1pxSter Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.
Gay singer-songwritaosXumg64jm78!#MoeSSF!1gHGLGSJ0^0LaZTi&c0jB)#Eb-BPer HUSH will be an ambassador for the landmark event.
As one of only a handful of Taiwan celebrities to come out publicly, HUSH, whose real name is Chen lPQUpJtIL)(N#DgkMxnJ18i-EYpE)aJxp=23ArPujZ3Gg_2qvjJia-Wei, on Friday urged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.
Pride this year, the first since Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altered ps^$JL#ufN3li%NXDG%x=sHgTx-pTuc)wDe)u6sbYpyGhEY8(g*arade route.
Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel along Yixian Road to Zhongx4L-o35bAJLVtyBV+4QM$dJPjgFGFSgC0pWHZXo%K%ha&I-aW(aia East Road.
The parade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near 2u2rYu^m%@Rfq__sKDz@0@n(nhK*Y0c%lq&a)IQ^LS)t!!)EgJthe Presidential Palace at Ketagalan Boulevard where there will be a Rainbow Market with more than 100 stalls.
HUSH will also perform at Ketagalan Boulevard.
PRsY6M4Fe$f=Gi^g50OPH0P5b-1Hgu9msNvpkJr3)u2E@KMf82Oress 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 same-sex marriage.
For the first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Promo48U29p%On#h!z20q8SQd#zrwpIrrOH^3)tI3mdfDn7J)eoaHAotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.
This year takes the theH^vypLmMSs8U+MwceS!%Kl82HC*y2A8)otbw#QQNNZaCgKTYkpme "Together, Make Taiwan Better”.
The theme in Chinese meano2ZCufDEBFavBK3bO!*O_$-8qYRy6dpZ#C1_FmA!vGYc5cDiG9s good neighbor. It was chosen to show that the LGBTQ community is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.
Last year, more than 100,000 peoi$ps-o#9%7Q1EshZ6=QbnIE1VayXehqi6sd2PV%#25QgwjSc_^ple took to the streets of Taipei for a pride parade that demanded marriage equality.
It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the 97bfWR6_QlGB9Cy!Y-XZM2QExIK8Y#5@90giQ^hBg3LIf+^Uq5majority of Taiwan voters did not support same-sex marriage.
Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-sex marriage in line withSiyU442xv)dBVItIC%z8Oc)UPsI1WFFy!qfkm1*TskKlHeagXa a 2017 Constitutional Court ruling that failing to do so was unconstitutional.
This yb7mT6YFagG@gM_Dje0LZbo%Q=N730)xv)IYqnUVdC=&p!&tI3Dear, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has moved to the next stage and will fight against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.
