The 21st Taiwan Pride parade, scheduled for Oct. 28, is to showcase the theme “Stand With Diversity” to broaden the concept of “diversity” as the LGBTQ community continues to face discrimination, the Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association said on Friday.
At a press conference, the association, which is organizing the parade, cited an incident that occurred at National Taiwan University earlier this year to illustrate the degree to which the LGBTQ community still faces intolerance.
In the incident, two candidates in a student association election campaigned against LGBTQ people by proposing student body rules such as “LGBTQ people and dogs are not allowed to play the Arena of Valor video game in the association’s office,” according to the group.
Photo courtesy of the association
“Even though same-sex marriage has been legalized in Taiwan for over four years, there are still improvements to be made in our society,” association spokesperson Tai Yu-hsun (戴佑勳) said.
According to the association, the parade is to start at 1pm on Oct. 28 in front of Taipei City Hall, and over 120 shops and NGO groups would set up stands and jointly celebrate the event in the area.
The association expects at least 100,000 people to take part in the march, including about 5,000 to 10,000 foreign participants, Tai said, adding that the main design for this year’s parade is composed of details that try to present the diversity in Taiwanese society.
“True diversity means respecting each other’s differences and supporting each other to ensure everyone’s rights,” association chairperson Fletcher Hong (洪浩哲) said. “We should not belittle or attack others to show that one is superior.”
Singer Kimberley Chen (陳芳語), an ambassador for this year’s Pride parade, urged everyone to participate.
“I think people should definitely come to the parade. You’ll be surrounded by so many friends and all of you’ll be standing with diversity. It’ll be full of good vibes and energy,” Chen said.
Also at the press conference, several co-organizers spoke about unfavorable situations the LGBTQ community still faces in society.
“There’s still discrimination, oppression and unfair treatment against LGBTQ people in our society today, in schools and in the workplace,” said Elisha Huang (黃雅君), a pastor at True Light Gospel Church Taipei.
Calling for people to embrace diversity and respect each other, Association of Parent Participating Education in Taiwan spokesman Chen Yen-yu (陳晏渝) said: “Gay or straight, we’re all human. There’s no difference.”
Meanwhile, the annual Taiwan Trans March, organized by the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association, is to take place in downtown Taipei on Oct. 27, a day before the Taiwan Pride Parade, to further raise public awareness of the need to respect diversity.
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