More than 60,000 people yesterday participated in the 11th Kaohsiung Pride parade — the largest crowd in its history — which was held under the theme of “We! Around You!”
The parade began at about 2pm in front of Dayi Park and proceeded along Dacheng Street and Wufu 3rd Road, across the Love River (愛河), before making a loop back to the starting point.
The Kaohsiung government also showed its support by raising rainbow flags at its Siwei and Fongshan offices.
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) posted a photo on Facebook of a city initiative to paint a pavement at the Pier-2 Art Center in rainbow colors and said that “love and tolerance is one of the most beautiful things about Taiwan.”
The 4km parade was followed by performances of artists, and speeches by organizers and LGBT rights advocates.
One of the speakers, Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan chief coordinator Jennifer Lu (呂欣潔), said that the legalization of same-sex marriages was only a start, as other issues that affect the LGBT community remain unresolved.
For example, same-sex couples still face more restrictions in adoption than their heterosexual counterparts, she said.
Although same-sex marriage was in May last year legalized by the Act for Implementation of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 (司法院釋字第七四八號解釋施行法), married same-sex couples are not allowed to adopt children with whom they do not have a blood relationship.
However, she thanked Kaohsiung City councilors for supporting the issue and arranging for the pavement to be painted in rainbow colors.
Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights secretary-
general Chien Chih-chieh (簡至潔) pushed the group’s call for the recognition of same-sex marriages between Taiwanese and foreigners regardless of whether their home country recognizing same-sex marriage.
Being excluded from same-sex marriage makes it difficult for the foreign partners to travel to and stay in Taiwan, as they can often only obtain temporary student or tourist visas.
Aboriginal singer Abao, who this year won multiple Golden Melody Awards, her fellow Aboriginal singer Suming Rupi and drag group In Your Face were among the performers.
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