Taiwan Pride () is the annual LGBTQ pride parade in Taiwan. The parade was first held in 2003. Although joined by groups from all over the country, the primary location has always been the capital city of Taipei. The parade held in October 2019 attracted more than 200,000 participants, making it the largest gay pride event in East Asia. As of 2019, it is the largest in Asia ahead of Tel Aviv Pride in Israel, which is the largest in the Middle East. Taiwan LGBT Pride Community, the organizer of Taiwan LGBTQ Pride Parade, holds the parade on the last Saturday of October.
Comparison with other pride parades
Taiwan Pride differs in many ways from gay pride parades held in the US and Europe. The parade foundation is one example. Western parades often show a divergence between social movements and "commercialization". Some pride parades are financed by corporations targeting gay customers, and sometimes the parade even becomes an advertising venue for the corporations. In some communities the conflict is so great that one parade even separates into two. Taiwan Pride is still primarily a social movement, with little advertisement — there are even complaints that local gay-targeting corporations give too little support to the parade.
Taiwan Pride also differs in the type of parade. A majority of the parades around the world usually take control of the main road, blocking bystanders on the sidewalk. Taiwan Pride share the road with cars, bikes and bystanders, and is subject to regular traffic control. While it is inconvenient and sometimes dangerous for participants, sharing the road without clear separation also blurs the distinction between participants and bystanders, providing a gray zone of participation.
History
Before 2003
There were several small pride parades before the first formal Taiwan Pride parade in 2003. For example, 300 gays identified themselves in the 1996 parade of The National Women's Coalition. In 2002, some gays publicly protested at the Ministry of National Defense against the practice of forbidding gays from military police service.
Taipei Pride
2003
The first Taiwan Pride parade was held on November 1, 2003, coinciding with the fourth Taipei Fun Festival (台北同玩節), which had been the first city-sponsored homosexual event in 2000. It was the first one in the Chinese community, and encouraged the gay community in Hong Kong to hold its own parade. Many people in Taiwan didn't notice the parade at all, but almost all electronic and paper media reported the parade.
The parade was held in Taipei, starting from 228 Memorial Park, a long-time gathering place for gay men in Taipei, and going along Hengyang Road to Red Playhouse in Ximending. The parade was joined by more than 20,000 people from dozens of groups, including Waterboys, NCU Center for the Study of Sexualities, Gin Gin's, and the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association. As part of the government-sponsored Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Movement, the parade received from the city government. Mayor (later President) Ma Ying-jeou gave a speech at the end of the parade, saying that Taipei as an international city should respect individuals of different groups and cultures. He also said that major cities in the world all have large gay communities. The existence and respect of such communities is important to the diversity of a city. After the speech, there was an LGBT karaoke contest.
After the parade, city councillor Wang Shih-cheng criticized city government for "encouraging homosexuality" and "obscenity". Many gay groups were upset by the comments and refused funding from the government the next year.
2004: Awaken citizen conscious
The second Taiwan Pride parade was held on November 6, 2004, again in Taipei. This parade started at 1 p.m. at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, marched along Ketagalan Boulevard, through 228 Memorial Park, Chungshan Hall, and ended at the Red Playhouse in Ximending.
The parade used "Awaken citizen conscious" as its primary slogan, along with "Citizen with exceptions‧City with colors‧Society with varieties‧Politics with participation". Featuring participants other than homosexuals, such as bisexuals, transgender people, the BDSM Company representing BDSM enthusiasts, and the Collective Of Sex Workers And Supporters (:zh:日日春關懷互助協會) representing sex workers. Harmony Home Association also participated.
The parade date was close to the legislative election, and many candidates showed up to get publicity.
2005: Be together!