Taiwan Holds First LGBTQ Pride March Since Covid Pandemic

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people braved the rain to attend Taiwan’s first LGBTQ Pride demonstration since its border was fully reopened.

As the region’s first country to legalize marriage equality in 2019, Taiwan is at the forefront of the growing LGBTQ rights movement in Asia.

One of Asia’s largest Pride marches is held annually in Taipei, the country’s capital, with the exception of last year, when a spike of Covid cases drove the event online.

The celebration was back in full force on Saturday when 120,000 marchers participated in Taiwan’s 20th Pride march dressed in eye-catching costumes and covered themselves in rainbow flags.

“I’m so very excited to be a part of the first physical parade in two years,” said 40-year-old service industry worker Wolf Yang, sporting a gold bodysuit with a matching sequined headpiece and nose ring.

Max, a 35-year-old French national who moved to Taiwan last year, participated in the march for the first time together with other friends who traveled there by plane from Japan and South Korea.

“I think Taiwan needs to be proud of that. It’s a great thing to recognise gay marriage. Asia and the world need to be proud of it.”

A record-breaking 200,000 people participated in the 2019 Pride march to celebrate Taiwan’s legalization of same-sex marriages.

Since then, at least 7,000 same-sex unions have taken place, although the law still has limitations that do not apply to heterosexual unions.

Taiwanese citizens are now limited to marrying residents of the roughly 30 nations and territories where same-sex marriage is allowed.

Virginia Li, a 22-year-old college student, claimed that she marched in support of lesbian rights alongside 20 other friends from eastern Hualien city.

“Taiwan is much more friendly to the gay community than many countries… I am proud of the progress that has been made.”

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