Getting to Know the Sunflower Generation

A Fulbright Year Learning from Taiwan's Youth

Taipei Pride

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The 17th annual Taipei Pride Parade was a blast:

Taipei 101 with a crowd in front.
The Pride Parade started in the shadow of Taipei 101.
  • 200,000 participants
  • a visual feast of gorgeous cosplay and drag outfits
  • enthusiastic delegations from NGOs and corporations
  • untold numbers of giddy young people celebrating together

Pride was definitely mostly a celebration. And LGBT Taiwan has a lot to celebrate. This year, Taiwan became the first country in East Asia to recognized same sex marriage. The fight was long, hard, and hurtful, but today was joyful.

A truck full of men in costumes.

A highlight of the parade, for me, was the incredible variety and creativity of the costumes.

  • A person in a Chinese opera costume.
  • Man in a cosplay outfit.
  • Men in costumes posing with pride flags.
  • Group of cosplayers posing for photos.
  • Man and woman in rainbow kilts and wings.
  • Person in a rainbow gown walking with men in ... very little.
  • Man in a spectacular gown and drown, smiling and waving.
  • Two young men dressed as Gryfindors.
    Someone’s fan fiction starts here…
  • Two men in shorts with Pikachu backpacks and Pikachu ears.
    Pikachu outbreak!

Of course, politics wasn’t totally absent …

Sign reading "In 2020, support those who wont take it back"
This sign suggests the KMT might try to reverse marriage equality if it wins the 2020 election.
Banner reading "Free Hong Kong"
Shows of support for Hong Kong were everywhere.
Parade-goers carrying signs supporting Hong Kong.
The only thing more popular than leather chest straps and police caps were black-and-white hand-held signs reading, “Taiwan’s democracy lifted up LGBT people. Taiwan’s LGBT people lift up Hong Kong.”

Something I especially enjoyed was the crowd of men standing around me to watch the parade. They were completely ordinary middle-aged Taiwanese guys — a little on the hefty side in their standard-issue dad jeans and polo shirts, making themselves comfortable on the motorcycles parked on the sidewalk. They would fit in at any political rally or party branch meeting I’ve been to anywhere in Taiwan. But they knew everybody — guys kept ejecting themselves out of the parade for hugs and photos and let’s-meet-up-soon talk. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it: Taiwan is full of LGBT people just living their lives. Apologies, Bro, for the bad photo. I should have just asked if I could take your picture.

A man, head and shoulders.
This guy hugged more people in the parade than the kids with the “free hugs” signs. And he actually knew everybody he was hugging!

There were many, many Japanese marchers. Some were probably Taiwanese doing Japanese cosplay (the happi coat and Speedo look was very popular), but there were plenty of actual Japanese as well.

Three men in traditional Japanese clothing.
Japanese cosplay was a big favorite in the parade.
Men carrying a sign reading "Marriage for all Japan."
One of the countries Taiwan is ahead of in LGBT rights is Japan.

And I wasn’t the only American there, either. Our diplomats turned out …

American Institute in Taiwan banner
The American Institute in Taiwan is the US government representative office in Taiwan.

… and so did this guy.

A western man holding a book.
“Treasures of Taiwan”

I was happy to see a number of uniformed military personnel in the parade, including this member of my favorite Taiwanese armed service, the coast guard. Coast guard guys rescued us from a motorcycle breakdown that could have been a big problem. They’ve been my favorites ever since.

Marchers in army and coast guard uniforms.

And finally, two images that capture the day …

A tent offering free beer and free water.
Evidently this was a beer-drinking crowd. At the end of the march, he had plenty of free water left.
A sleeping child being carried.

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