Taiwan holds largest Pride parade since coronavirus outbreak

Taiwan, East Asia, saw over 130,000 celebrate on the streets of the capital, Taipei, in the largest LGBTQ+ Pride parade since the coronavirus pandemic began. According to local news source Nikkei Asia, the island combatted the Covid-19 crisis through strict travel restrictions and contact tracing, and has now gone over 200 days without a local transmission of the virus. The island also avoided any major restrictions on daily life and many were seen wearing rainbow face masks at the parade in celebration of LGBTQ+ equality and the country’s handling of the pandemic.

Taiwan is also renowned as being one of the leading Asian countries for LGBTQ+ rights after it was the first to legalise same-sex marriage last year. Over 4,000 LGBTQ+ couples have wed since then. Jennifer Lu, director of the Taiwan Equality Campaign, thanked the government for its efficient Covid-19 response, saying: “It is because of them we can have this parade”, and adding “I am very proud of our people, of our civil society.”

The day also saw the first two same-sex military weddings in Taiwan in another historic celebration of LGBTQ+ equality. Openly lesbian Chen Ying-hsuan, 27, an army lieutenant who married Li Li-chen, said: “We are hoping that more LGBTQ+ people in the military can bravely stand up, because our military is very open-minded. In matters of love, everyone will be treated equally.”