Hundreds of global LGBT movers and shakers kick off pride at GaLa BFF Gala

At least 200 movers and shakers of the LGBT world gathered in downtown Taipei on Friday night to kick off the region's largest-ever pride ceJFHwyPbQ1ei_gJ_(^&p$H@)W@hfSwpJb$cDm4X5T+IXNI(p*j=lebrations.

The GALA BFF GALA event on 25 October at Xinyi Woolloomooloo attracted LGBT and LGbkM+p+P(lW4Gt0Qlm(4^E!Mm)&$aEI)v2V=N@yqwqXMATBNmtqBT-friendly professionals from around the world and across many industries to enjoy a night of fine food, drinks, and networking.

Guests included legendary Haw=4hYq8UlU&3uTsLu8h*NF*umkjoU7fEd31_InGUNBzFBk#+bYFaii-based producer Chris Lee and American author and entrepreneur Keith Ferrazzi.

GALA BFF is a place for socializing and connecting for the region’s LGBT people off the dance floor. The group holds monthly get-togethers, neu+)z*BVx^N)NrSEV@&(xdZmJvpdeZqouq+Zn$kdL@buEK2Zb_5tworking events, screenings, and talks.

"We are creating linkages and connections between buWn@vz39!7VjkV02-1Y87Y!tSXLl#oOKYUAz#5P9oRivvE@2hSjsinesses across disciplines" co-founder of GALA BFF, Jay Lin, told guests on Friday night.

"We want diversity, equality, and acceptance to be adopted by society in general, from cultural tastemakers to legislative policymakers, from the boardroom, to the classrooidD9Dtmyj4SJ*Z+i2akon#7F_P(g36*$AJinAiVZ^J+dz&-314m, to the living room."

Lin also launched web series, Handsome Stewardess, a romantic-c#Vz6^bO28C20hMLZfuP#*N!3tuSNn5Wd((+sKDFu-oprIstel&omedy featuring a good-looking tomboy lesbian who starts a new life as a flight attendant.

Award-winning actress Xiao 4PvyH29+K#VD1zo#ky_&RCb=5wb0k$p3Vdvio8RKvnkiT1UeHKMan, who plays the stewardess, and director Zero Chou attended the party.

Lin also took the opportunity to announce his aT%Ac8ocDVJba!DhoP*=AmZpHN4zuq=cIgW@&jmaUOm)yRJcD&plan for Taiwan's first LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

He hopes the chamber can allow LGBT-owned a!^W5mb)BhQuQbk*l6XuLf3cTZWh7FVaS0QH__BqeWxlnF2SW$Pnd LGBT-friendly businesses to partner up and promote one another's businesses. He also hopes to create a platform for businesses to laise with like-minded businesses around the world.

Pride

Organizers of the 17th annual Taiwan ye2n_b0Px3pdlzkjS1+)88%qad(rZn_T+Bqop%^!!vuiIc#^jVLGBT 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 heldUOi)CYge%BjRg=AuIc95QZTdI_YbTRd65Y1eiP98hh^G-XZLrW just five months after Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.

G5pI9inu@yHOBbbw%1e2^w3erKvIO+2woRqlZN#1je9ZuaMUc=zay singer-songwriter 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, on Friday ua&MG(ERzg*eZWepVKf8Kya_I@!7zLA$jyyDG_@xNTAaW&=Wy4Erged LGBT Taiwanese to be brave and come out.

Pride this year, the first since Taiwan became the fRFCswPMT)PnI1Ym(tfhApacl3LB9qzuu!p99!F)+bD9lPpAdkYirst country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, sees an altered parade route.

Marchers will start from Taipei City Hall Plaza anbAj(MYW&GUSIDO3!x4d&vvA_j-3(iWBA7P%*IwaDS@kCoU=Mdpd travel along Yixian Road to Zhongxia East Road.

The parade will then turn south to Renai3jh+JZl$=Fj1@t#H(6!2aG*dMIDbeadPaYAAk1Yzo(WJB)YD_= 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 played by bothd&iQQc3i7W9OkN5mBhllDFNQ6WV=-9tUSBLdzcI9$LTDWQ)Iq# Taipei City and the President’s Office in bringing about same-sex marriage.

For the first time, Taiwan Gay Family Rights Promotion Association will also hold the first Rainbow Parent-child Carnival and RainV1#l-E+&dTz(&zw0C#xNeOdn5q8Xke*TCgyGWt_Au3hI&zfO5vbow Baby Mini Parade.

ThivY5yjt@UaBL4LYbU5+HZyzLdl1Q_TvCM6mvdk7N9#wi_vKc5__s year takes the 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, evnFHNiDt_j6-Nh_jjp$wI$dhF%tay2Dbaxs38oybPQQwEo+fT*oeryone should support one another.

Last year, more than 100,000 people took to the streets of Taipei for a pMw3venco2QU-on&2^bS-(FZ4X6rX0zfNtlcb4!B#8&%o#loHejride parade that demanded marriage equality.

It came just a month before devastating referendum results showed the majority of Taiwan voters did not suB2mp%EW6t8fIBuUp_%VEyVnzKPnbh9r!+VGBNGG@2@$hd4oQM5pport same-sex marriage.

Despite the referendum result, parliament in May finally legalized same-sex marriayN#Fo@wqG9-DpUE5F9gm@oXK+g!RNPjh4mxju#bxht0xp^0K(7ge 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 against prejudice and stereotyping of LGBT pjiSFotRziidMZ=@AH*+AyYPJ4MH8CO@qzDDgfumXA_9B-XOq_7eople.