Taiwan Gay Rights Parade Draws Thousands

TAIPEI, Taiwan (Associated Press) -- Thousands of gay rights supporters have marched through Taiwan's capital, calling for increased tolerance and the enactment of anti-discrimination legislation.

The Saturday event is the ninth annual gay rights parade in Taipei, which has one of Asia's most vibrant gay communities.

The parade has attracted gays from around the world, with many marchers dressing up as prom queens, zombies or sumo wrestlers.

About a dozen men and women marched behind a Malaysian flag, deploring the absence of gay rights in the mostly Muslim country.

Ming Yueh of Kuala Lumpur said, "We hope to learn from Taiwan so we can help our friends back home."

Parade organizers called for legislation to wipe out deep-rooted gay discrimination in Asian cultures.

Check out photos from the parade here:

The parade has attracted gays from around the world, with many marchers dressing up as prom queens, zombies or sumo wrestlers.

About a dozen men and women marched behind a Malaysian flag, deploring the absence of gay rights in the mostly Muslim country.

Ming Yueh of Kuala Lumpur said, "We hope to learn from Taiwan so we can help our friends back home."

Parade organizers called for legislation to wipe out deep-rooted gay discrimination in Asian cultures.

Comments

[Tom Haig]

03:24 PM on 11/05/2011

Mama said "I want you OUT now!"

Child said: "Oh, Mama, I love you too!"

[consumesoup]

03:59 PM on 10/31/2011

I think it is great. And it takes all kinds to make a community. I remember going to the Castro halloween parties back in the day...the costumes were so wild. It was truly a fun event. The Taipei gay community is really fun. I am happy to see such gay pride.

[David N Taiwan]

11:01 AM on 10/31/2011

I and my BF were just two of the thousands.

Last year the estimate of the crowd size was 30,000 and this year the prelimanary estimate was 50,000.

[Robert J. Feldman]

07:17 AM on 10/31/2011

WOW!

LOVE all the sexy OUT PEOPLE!

We ARE making progress INTERNATIONALLY

[one1byke]

09:37 PM on 10/30/2011

"prom queens, zombies or sumo wrestlers."

Dignified.

[David N Taiwan]

11:03 AM on 10/31/2011

We tried doing it the "dignified" way back in the 1950's and 1960's. Guys wore suits and ties and women wore skirts, but it didn't really get us anywhere. After gay liberation in 1969 we decided to let it all hang out and the radical approach has been far more effective in getting us recognized.

[one1byke]

11:21 AM on 10/31/2011

... and others 'casualtied.' .. but I goess the spandex feels good.

[LMPE]

08:21 PM on 10/30/2011

If you dropped Fred Phelps into that, how quickly do you think that he'd die of a heart attack?

[1logicalthinker]

01:48 AM on 10/31/2011

not soon enough for me :)

[David N Taiwan]

11:04 AM on 10/31/2011

Well, I almost died of a heart attack shortly after I was dropped into the middle of that (...but I suspect it was for a totally different reason).

[invirginia]

08:09 PM on 10/30/2011

Just once could we have a photo of an LGBT rally that doesn't have a lead photo of nearly naked young men? Just once? As a "liberal" website, you'd think this stereotype wouldn't find its way onto these articles.

[AudreyLee]

08:43 PM on 10/30/2011

It was a tad outrageous.

[derfmoosepatrol]

02:10 AM on 10/31/2011

Judging from any of the parades I've been to, it seems appropriate.

[Contact1972]

05:01 PM on 10/30/2011

GLBT equality under the law, everywhere-NOW!

[fredgladys]

10:16 PM on 10/30/2011

At Commonwealth Heads of State meeting currently being held in Australia a proposition was put forward that homosexuality should be de-criminilized, only the African and Carribean countries were not in favor. Comments were made that if this is the case these countries shouldn't receive aid or favors, quite frankly that works for me.

[Contact1972]

11:29 PM on 10/30/2011

Works for me as well!

[ramal]

04:48 PM on 10/30/2011

We don't criticize you (Straights) for your Mardi Gras and St. Patrick's Day antics please accord us the same respect.

[Contact1972]

05:00 PM on 10/30/2011

Freak show?

[tucsonarizona1]

10:46 PM on 10/29/2011

I were I were there :-(

[David N Taiwan]

11:08 AM on 10/31/2011

I were too!

[Hans Struhar]

08:25 PM on 10/29/2011

OMG they are so cute!!!!!!!!!!

[AudreyLee]

08:43 PM on 10/30/2011

Yes!! ha