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Flag-raising will launch gay event
RAISING AWARENESS:
The raising of a rainbow flag at city hall in Taipei -- the first ceremony of its kind to be held in Asia -- will initiate this year's festival
By Mo Yan-chih
STAFF REPORTER
Thursday, Aug 31, 2006, Page 2
A rainbow flag will be raised in front of the Taipei City Hall on Sept. 17 as the seventh annual "LGBT Civil Rights Movement -- Queer-friendly Taipei" gets underway.
Hosted by city's Department of Civil Affairs, the festival was the first gay event organized by any local government in the country. To help break stereotypes of gays and make gay issues more visible, the city government listed the festival as an item in its annual budget, despite criticism from conservative groups and some city councilors.
Department Deputy Chief Yeh Jie-sheng (葉傑生) said the city was sponsoring the event to stress its respect for minority groups and cultural diversity.
"Conservative and religious groups have been criticizing the event, and we welcome different opinions. We will invite these groups this year to discuss issues of gay rights together," he said during a press conference yesterday at Taipei City Hall.
Yeh, however, denied recent accusations made by some Christian groups' representatives last Friday that the department would hold a wedding ceremony for gay couples, saying the department would not promote same-sex marriage before such marriages were legalized.
According to Wang Ping (王蘋), secretary-general of the Gender/Sexuality Rights Association in Taiwan which is helping organize the festival, the events will include a flag-raising ceremony -- the first of its kind in Asia -- on the morning of Sept. 17, followed by gay rights forums that afternoon at the Taipei City Council.
"The recognition of the rights of gays and lesbians by all people requires making a long-term effort step by step ... This festival will establish a bridge and allow the public to better understand the gay community," Wang said, urging the public to join the festival.
A gay art exhibition will also be held between Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 at the Huashan Culture Park.
Gay rights groups will hold a gay parade on Sept. 30 and plan a collective gay wedding ceremony in the park following the parade.
More information about the event is available on the festival's Web site (www.lgbttaipei.net).
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