On October 28^th, roughly 180,000 people gathered in downtown Taipei for Asia’s largest Pride parade, with go-go dancers and drag queens among those celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. This is the 21^st year of Taiwan’s annual Pride march, but what makes this year extra special is that Vice President of Taiwan Lai Ching-te joined in on this year’s march, making him the highest-ranking government official to do so thus far. Both Lai and President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen are part of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party (D.P.P.), which characterizes itself as a party that will defend liberal values, including inclusivity and diversity.

“On this road the D.P.P. has always been together with everyone,” Lai said during the march, where he was seen marching beside a banner that said “Democracy Supports Gays” and was greeted with shouts of “Hello Mr. President!” as he passed by. “Equal marriage is not the end – it’s the starting point for diversity,” Lai said. “I will stand steadfast on this path.”

“Under the umbrella of Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, we learn to accept everyone’s characteristics and respect everyone’s differences,” President Tsai wrote on Facebook.

The Pride march is especially significant because it comes right before Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections, which are set to occur in January 2024. Vice President Lai is currently the frontrunner in the presidential election and, according to opinion polls, is the most favorable candidate. None of the other three presidential candidates attended the Pride march (although the youth wing of the Chinese Nationalist Party was in attendance).

Taiwan has a large and vibrant LGBTQ+ community that has long been pushing for more inclusive government policies and legal recognition. The nation is still the only country in Asia that has successfully legalized gay marriage, after becoming the first on the continent to do so in May 2019. In May 2023, Taiwan’s legislative branch approved an expansion of adoption rights, which now allow for same-sex couples to adopt children they are not biologically related to. The Taiwanese LGBTQ+ community has celebrated these advancements.

In conclusion, Vice President Lai’s popularity in the country coupled with his support of LGBTQ+ rights illustrate how Taiwan continues to be at the forefront of LGBTQ+ diversity in Asia. While Taiwan is strides ahead of its neighbors, there is still much left to do for LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion.