TAIPEI, Taiwan | October 31, 2026 | More than 150,000 people gathered in Taipei on Saturday for Taiwan’s 24th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Parade, turning the streets into a sea of rainbow flags, colorful costumes and calls for equality, freedom and acceptance, as participants from Taiwan and other countries joined the celebration.
Organizers estimated that around 150,000 people took part, while international news reports placed attendance at more than 170,000, making the annual gathering one of the largest Pride events in East Asia. More than 180 organizations registered to participate in this year’s parade, which coincided with Halloween.
The parade carried the theme “Our Voices, Our Journey,” emphasizing the importance of listening, understanding differences and moving beyond social labels. The Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association, the event’s organizer, said the gathering aimed to encourage dialogue and challenge discrimination amid growing social polarization and international resistance to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The celebration also became an occasion for participants to express concern over a police operation earlier in October. On October 3, police raided Commander D, a gay bar in Taipei’s Wanhua District, taking 51 people in for questioning and arresting the establishment’s owner over alleged violations of public-decency laws.
The operation prompted protests from LGBTQ+ advocates, who questioned the treatment of those detained and raised concerns about discrimination and the protection of LGBTQ+ spaces. Some participants at Saturday’s parade shouted protests when Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an briefly appeared at the event. Chiang apologized for the incident and pledged a thorough investigation and disciplinary action against personnel involved. President Lai Ching-te also emphasized that respect for LGBTQ+ people must be reflected in the exercise of public authority.
Among those joining the celebration were international visitors, including Filipino participant Jonel Malinao, who attended his first Taiwan Pride march. Their presence reflected the parade’s growing international reach and Taiwan’s reputation as a destination where LGBTQ+ people and their supporters can publicly express their identities and advocate for equal rights.
Taiwan’s Pride movement has come a long way since its first parade in Taipei in 2003, when only a relatively small number of people joined the march at a time when LGBTQ+ issues remained less openly discussed. Over the years, the annual gathering has grown into one of Asia’s largest demonstrations for sexual diversity and equality.
A significant milestone came in May 2017, when Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled that excluding same-sex couples from marriage violated constitutional guarantees of equality and freedom of marriage. Two years later, on May 24, 2019, the law recognizing same-sex marriage took effect, making Taiwan the first jurisdiction in Asia to legalize such unions.
Despite these legal advances, organizers stressed that marriage equality does not automatically eliminate prejudice, discrimination or unequal treatment in everyday life. They also called for greater efforts to address HIV/AIDS-related stigma and strengthen support for LGBTQ+ people as they grow older.
As Halloween coincided with this year’s parade, the streets of Taipei became a colorful display of costumes, creativity and self-expression. Beyond the festivities, the gathering served as a reminder that dignity, acceptance and the freedom to live without fear remain important concerns for communities around the world.
For many, Pride is not simply a celebration. It is also a continuing call for a society where no one is denied respect, safety or the right to be themselves.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
