The 17th Taiwan LGBT Pride parade is to take place in Taipei today, the first after the nation legalized same-sex marriage earlier this year.
Taiwan on May 17 became the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage after lawmakers passed the Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Constitutional Interpretation No. 748 (司法院釋字第748號解釋施行法).
The event’s organizers said that the theme for this year’s parade is “Together, Make Taiwan Better,” as it advocates creating a friendly environment for all. They added that they hope to attract more than 200,000 participants from around the world.
Photo: CNA
Representatives from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) and 14 other economic and trade offices yesterday said that they would participate in the event to support LGBTQ rights.
The AIT said that it would team up with Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies — an officially recognized US organization representing the LGBTQ community — to march in this year’s parade.
The EETO said on Facebook that it would jointly participate with the economic and trade offices of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the gay rights movement in Taiwan, several LGBT groups have collaborated with the Taipei City Government to organize an exhibition called “Future is Now” at Vieshow Cinema Square in the city’s Xinyi District (信義) that highlights efforts by gay rights advocates over the years.
The exhibition, which runs until Nov. 13, is to feature six large installations spelling “Taipei,” each with a unique design, including a table tennis table, a bench, a bookshelf, a rock-climbing wall and a photo background, organizers said.
Additional reporting by Yang Mien-chieh
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