As Taiwan Considers Marriage Equality, Tens of Thousands Attend Pride Parade
Walk under the rainbow flag. Photo by Sound of Silence. CC BY-NC 2.0.
About 70,000 people attended Taiwan's LGBT pride parade on October 25 to celebrate the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity and encourage the public to do the same.
The number of participants was one of the largest that the parade has seen since the first was held in 2003. In recent years, it has become the biggest pride parade in Asia and attracted many overseas attendees.
The theme of the 2014 parade was ‘Walk in Queers’ Shoes,’ featuring voices from marginalized LGBT communities such as physically disabled people, HIV-positive people and sex workers.
Most of the participants in the parade voiced their support for the legalization of same-sex marriage. A marriage equality bill was presented to the Legislative Yuan by the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights in 2012. The legislature passed the first reading on October 25, 2013, but the legislative process was suspended in reaction to a massive mobilization of opponents of same-sex marriage.
Gay rights activists began pushing legislators to resume their work in early October this year and a public hearing for the bill was held on October 16. Many couples in the LGBT communities took the opportunity of this year's pride parade to share their stories and hope with others.
Below are some photos from the parade.
A participant with a rainbow teddy bear. Photo by J. Michael Cole. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Participants in the parade. Photo by J. Michael Cole. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Drag queens dancing and singing in the Liberty Square. Photo by coolloud.org. CC BY-NC 2.0.
A couple said on their T-shirts that they have been together for eight years and they are looking forward to getting married. Photo by coolloud.org. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Participants in the parade. Photo by coolloud.org. CC BY-NC 2.0.