What are the highlights of the Taiwan Pride Parade?
On October 26th, more than 200,000 people dressed in rainbow took to the streets of Taipei to celebrate the Pride Parade with the theme "Tong Zhi Hao Cuo Bian" (meaning "LGBTQ+ is our good neighbor" in southern Fujian).
Just in May, local legislators made the unprecedented decision to legalize same-sex marriage, making Taiwan the first place in Asia to do so.
Not only local Taiwan people, the event also attracted LGBT supporters and groups from Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries, which made the 17th Taiwan Pride Parade even more colorful.
Stories of that Day
We have collected several stories that our friends who participated in this Pride Parade would like to share with you. People who were in the parade come from different occupations, different communities, and different regions, but they all share the same inclusiveness and belief in love.
01 George's wedding dress
"This is the first year that same-sex marriage is legal. I wore this dress because I thought boys can wear wedding dresses and girls can wear suits ...... I hope to marry the one I love!"
02 Little girl Minnie and her mother
"Her being here will show her that love is love. I want my daughter to understand that there are a lot of different people in society and that love, no matter what kind, is respectable."
03 Love and peace and embraces diversity
"We are a peace-loving organization that needs more support, both for the environment and for the LGBT community. We had about ten people at the LGBT parade today."
04 The whole family participates together
"It's important to bring your child to this event so they know what's going on. This way, the child will grow up knowing why everyone around them is the way they are."
After a long day of walking, a child adds his own comment about the day's activities, "It was really fun!"
Day in Review
Even before the parade departed, LesPark's Rainbow booth drew crowds of people who came to visit and take photos of the event. The Pride Parade officially began at 1:30 p.m., with LesPark leading the rainbow contingent!
It's worth mentioning that this year LesPark invited several popular ladies from the lesbian circle to our float, making it a special highlight of the parade.
When the parade came to an end at night, everyone was still reluctant to leave, and those who participated in LesPark’s parade also took precious group photos.
In the evening, LesPark also organized an After Party at Taipei Expo Park, which was the first time in the past few years that we hosted an offline party after the parade. Well-known musicians such as The Drunk Band, singer Super, DJ Sunnie & DJ Kai and many more were present to bring fun to the event.
It is very meaningful to work together with everyone to create an inclusive world with imagination, regardless of sexual orientation, nationality, age and occupation. Each life-affirming activity nurtures positive seeds, producing flowers that symbolize beauty. One day, it will become a sea of flowers.
We will continue to keep our pace and bring all the users more interesting online and offline activities in the future. Let you meet the kind of people around you and find the answers you are waiting for. May all the simple enthusiasm can be warmly responded to.
