Life / Oct. 14, 2019
Hund0-AvjfFZde@+*I=ONzii(Y()e+0rV6^D!4s69(qg1SM6-iOA05reds of the region’s LGBT movers 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 perfect warm-up for Asia’s largest pride parade, expected to attralfhm2rb$%p*VRdNTL9VD$hwYIL&kyWhGxMhz!ZRolVKh%wtS3fct 200,000 marchers.
The party will include screenings of the latest original productions from LGWWz)dz&^ngW9Y!xWMpJE)FKP@kcNVc&R&=Ci7gmAO=MN+($oWKBT-streaming service GagaOOLala and special guests from Japan Rainbow Night Out.
"I can promise you lots of fun, laughter, friendship, and, of course, in this month of Celebration &-6ZFxIrFq_Ut@wlg2s+&7SOuwxUaKf!a=&-VLvi$LP3au!(0_Aamp; Pride” said co-creator of the GALA BFF group of LGBT professionals, Jay Lin.
GALA BFF create#CNg0yAC&5f8M4@zKxU6&4V%s+W0qD@wL^6lA3CD202M%fyr+Vs 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&dp!NUWz0NxdU63t3yI#x@@EP(uglSYm2m6fq6S14s+4d6qa$+ 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 $750 after. Buy tickets or find out more here.
Pride
Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan LGBT Pride parade expect more than 200,000—a record number—at the pr66md9I1RR+RvB23T2hUEjFi1jWD)K@Cq#p&fambGqfsjv1P0e6ide parade scheduled to take place on 26 October.
The pride willzqujsu&0Ctubnq==vMyts@QUI89*z$p&&6$0hcj6#2@UQ$hV)e 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 la!fjrer-PWS0Yw(nq^*XUVinOS82x8XODn1#JM_H+RJk+MoCEfIndmark event.
As one of only a handful of &IYmlF3^2C^oW2jbdalMpp67gMVBF)yeEya5hiYjUHZ3La1W8*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 marriage, sees an altered parade roaF%$qyk9DjHnr3*9Q_p%TuuX*g$))yLIli&=j^%F3@Fb4^4VpGute.
Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza and travel alPc8g!fbHfd5E@R(j64kPcHuwQ4l1w+Fu+u7Ljb-2GQ^qP4m05uong Yixian Road to Zhongxia East Road.
The pw$5_=EKlPFCLJxf++K%9OC*-LPtJZdwroE3(L9Z=8iFp+vhXsharade will then turn south to Renai Road before ending near the Presidential Palace at Ketagalan Boulevard where there will be a Rainbow Market with more than 100 stalls.
HUSH will also perform at Ketagalan Boulevard.
Press officer for Pride 2019, Benson Lee, said the new route was chosen to recognize the roles pB@cy%r6Cdx8tu)QPI(dDZ0rZVRfBWUwJs=3&RZJf^ksOYxa-gblayed by both Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.
For the JQN%CloG1LK$jS#CkZy6-NP4A)7PK3zsd$AMrDx_MM#U3@3+i)first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and Rainbow Baby Mini Parade.
This year takes tjy!_ugm7$1tq)rIPia0Y)9XKU%6gjI^g7yJ8HO*@k$gdYN5TCVhe theme "Together, Make Taiwan Better”.
The theme in Chinese means good neighbor. It was chosen toRjWQrgbD1W*&wTZCzph+2JPa-W9XS#SwU=U&(xPYd^L!0ibB9N show that the LGBTQ community is everywhere in Taiwan and, like good neighbors, everyone should support one another.
Last year, more than 100,000 peoplG^xir$2(AKfp0PHD*7Bb%*+Uyo%A6LW-K+Gf*!&h0TmpVq3iqme took to the streets of Taipei for a pride parade that demanded marriage equality.
It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the majority of Taiwan voters did not support Ka88SIuV)vqmFDeGSIcXPD=RHC%V8TrzDOGJw)Sd7gnI*929cjsame-sex marriage.
Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-sex marriage in line with a 2017 Constitutional Court ruling that faili!i!WS!I(((Vz@SYxUoSiuth4Dqh(9e^V+--YSo@-r$I2ZJ5i8%ng to do so was unconstitutional.
This year, according to organizers, the LGBT rights movement has moved to the next stage and will fig6y_8_pKqST1x2mHtQZYIAQ@UCSsRPy9@+C-NCD&Ta)RJ(fZ%Pjht against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT people.
