Taiwan holds LGBTQ Pride Parade amid coronavirus pandemic, see pics

On June 28, the Taiwanese capital held its annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In Taipai, a large parade was organized with over 1,000 participants. The annual parade, that otherwise witnesses tens of thousands of people, had relatively fewer attendees due to heavy downpours and the pandemic, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. However, the celebration devoted to commemorating the rights of the people of different sexual orientations made Taiwan one of the fewer places in the world to mark the day.  

#TaipeiPride trended across social media as a huge mixed identity crowd assembled for pride march with solidarity and compassion among the communities. Taiwan became the first country in East Asia to legalize gay marriage and its liberal political system has upheld and promoted human rights, free speech, freedom of sexual orientation, and freedom of assembly. The LGBTQ+ community was seen flooding the streets with placards and flurry rainbow hues demonstrations in the parade to encourage love, diversity, acceptance, and self-pride for their orientation. Celebrating the commemorative month, an American student was reported calling Taiwan’s diversity and ability to hold pride parades annually “very impressive”.  

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Renowned epicenter of gay rights

“I think Taiwan has done a really good job so far, and I am really proud of living here, not only because it’s so open to people like myself, the gay community, but also because I think it’s such an example for the world and how to handle the pandemic so far,” Loren Couse, 28, said. According to reports, the Taiwanese capital has been a renowned epicenter of gay rights as the nation held the second largest gay pride in Asia after Tel Aviv, Israel, every year. In Taipei, a mid-20th Century New Park was transformed into 228 Peace Memorial Park that became a cruising ground for the LGBTI sub-cultures. In 2003, Taiwan held its first Pride Parde eventually making it the largest Pride in East Asia with nearly 80,000 people that attended the carnival every year.  

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(All Images Courtesy: AP)

(With Input From AP)