Taiwan: First pride since legalizing gay marriage
October 26, 2019
Some 200,000 people flooded the streets of Taiwan's capital, Taipei, on Saturday, for the first pride parade since the self-ruled island began formally allowing same-sex marriage.
Taiwan has long hosted the largest pride marches in East Asia but the 2019 parade is particularly significant as it is the first since a law legalizing same-sex marriage was passed on May 24.
More than 2,150 same-sex couples have now married in Taiwan, government data shows.
Organizers said more than 200,000 people marched through the streets of Taipei, with many waving rainbow flags and signs reading "Good Neighbors," "Love" and "Diversity," to show support for gender and sexual diversity.
The parade was due to end in the evening outside the Presidential Office.
President Tsai-Ing-wen and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party gave their support to the event.
"We hope you have your glad-rags on, because this year's celebration should be a special one after the passing of #SameSexMarriage legislation, with over 200,000 people expected to attend from all over the world!" Taiwan's Foreign Ministry wrote on its Facebook page.
Democratic Taiwan holds liberal values in a part of the world where homosexuality is still illegal in many countries.
Same-sex marriage remains illegal in Taiwan's giant neighbor, China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under Beijing's control.
law/mm (AFP, Reuters)
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