【About Taiwan】Taiwan No.1 – 2020 Taiwan LGBT Pride Parade

Do you think containing coronavirus is the only thing that Taiwan could catch world’s eyes? Taiwan has already gained globe’s attention right before the pandemic. Taiwan is the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage since May 24, 2019 by passing Enforcement Act of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748. After three decades of campaigning and waiting, Chi Chia-wei, the first person to come out publicly as gay in 1986 by trying to marry his partner, received the pen that President Tsai Ing-wen used for subscribing the act.

The first Taiwan Pride parade was held on November 1, 2003 and was the first one in the Chinese-speaking community. The parade was held in Taipei, starting from 228 Memorial Park and was joined by more than 20,000 people at that time. October 26, 2019 was the 17th parade (5 photos below), it has attracting around 200,000 participants, which is dramatically grew ten times more than 17 years ago.

This year, though the pride marches are cancelled worldwide due to COVID-19, Taiwan’s 18th LGBT Pride parade are still going to be held on Oct 31, 2020. The theme this year is “Beauty, My Own Way“, which comes from an idiom “成人之美“. Before the grand parade, there are series of events during the “Pride Month” in October. Forums for children, for adults, about education, about media literacy all kinds of theme, are open to everyone to participate. The second “Taiwan’s Trans Parade” is held on Oct 30, 2020, one day before “Taiwan LGBT Pride”, just like last year.

If you are wandering around Taipei or having a Taipei city tour, you will find lots of “Rainbow Pride” elements are hiding out in the corner of the city. There are two paintings on the floor in Ximending and in front of Taipei City Hall.

Beside all the rainbow landmarks, there are gay bars gathered in Taipei such as The Red House area (in Ximending). To know more information, please visit Travel by Rainbow by Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government. If you are planning your Taiwan tour after the pandemic, Justaiwantour are honored to operate a Taipei Pride private day tour for you!