More than 180,000 people yesterday celebrated LGBTQ+ equality and diversity in Taipei at East Asia’s largest Pride march, joined by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) and the reigning queen of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind.
Taiwan legalized same-sex marriage in 2019 in a first for East Asia, a region where the rights of sexual minorities are often either suppressed or outlawed.
The theme of the 22nd iteration of the march was “embracing inclusion,” said Fletcher Hong (小鯨), chairman of the Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association, the parade’s organizer.
Photo: Daniel Ceng, EPA-EFE
Inclusion has long been a goal of the LGBTQ+ community and the organizers hope that every person can be included in making national decisions and that people can respect each other’s differences, he said.
Regarding criticism of a ruling that allows Taiwanese to change their gender on their national identification card without reassignment therapy, Hong said the LGBTQ community supports people’s right to not have their identity challenged by others.
The discourse surrounding transgender women using women’s restrooms is about sowing fear and mistrust, not protecting women’s safety, he added.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Association spokesman Simon Tai (戴佑勳) said 194 groups signed up for this year’s parade, with 100 vendors including 30 nonprofit stalls in the “rainbow market” and more than 20 vendors supporting LGBTQ-friendly hotels.
Australian, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Swedish and US representative offices and groups from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan joined the event, he said.
Non-governmental organizations invited to speak at the event’s stage included advocacy groups for indigenous people and people with HIV, with the latter calling for attention to inadequate long-term care for aging AIDS patients, he said.
Photo: by Yu Chien-huang, AFP
Nymphia, who won RuPaul’s Drag Race in April, appeared at the parade wearing an outfit inspired by medieval armor with a rainbow flag shoulder cape.
“I just have to come back every year for the parade,” she said, describing her armor look as representing the defense of gay rights.
Hsiao led the Democratic Progressive Party delegation, marching behind a banner reading “Be Yourself.”
Photo: Ben Blanchard, Reuters
She said Taiwanese should be proud of their hard work in making the nation a beacon of progressive values.
President William Lai (賴清德) posted a video message of support on social media, saying he could not march in person this year due to prior appointments and for security reasons.
“The government will continue to work hard to put into practice gender equality so everyone in this land of Taiwan can embrace inclusion and not fear what others think,” he said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) said political parties should work together to make Taiwan a more harmonious society by supporting the right to have children regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
TPP Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) said that surrogacy legalization would benefit same-sex couples that want to raise a family.
First launched in 2003, the annual Pride parade in Taipei has grown over the years to become one of the largest in Asia.
Event organizers said that the more than 180,000 people who participated in yesterday’s event was more than last year’s 176,000 attendees.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
STREAMLINED: The dedicated funding would allow the US to transfer equipment to Taiwan when needed and order upgraded replacements for stockpiles, a source said The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a defense appropriations bill totaling US$838.7 billion, of which US$1 billion is to be allocated to reinforcing security cooperation with Taiwan and US$150 million to replace defense articles provided to the nation. These are part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which the US House yesterday passed with 341 votes in favor and 88 against. The act must be passed by the US Senate before Friday next week to avoid another government shutdown. The US House Committee on Appropriations on Monday unveiled the act, saying that it allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative
RSS