With borders still closed in Taiwan and zero new Covid-19 cases in the last 200 days, Taiwan holds a LGBTQ parade in Taipei this past Saturday. This event which attracted over 100,000 people was the largest event of its kind in Asia this year. Last year the Taipei Pride parade drew crowds of over 200,000 just several months after Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same sex marriage. With most countries celebrating Pride events in June, Taiwan celebrates it in October to avoid the steamy hot summer. With the global pandemic completely controlled in Taiwan, they are able to hold these type of events within their country without worrying about a possible outbreak of the virus. Another major milestone within the country was the celebration of same sex weddings in a mass military ceremony. While Taiwan may have permitted same sex weddings, there lies a long road ahead to get full rights within the country for the LGBTQ community, specifically those that marry a spouse outside the country. Couples that have one person not being a citizen of Taiwan are not eligible to adopt children and surrogacy still remains illegal.
Taiwan becoming the first country to legalize LGBTQ in Asia last year, marks a historic event and a huge step to get recognition for the community. With Taiwan doing an extraordinary job maintaining the global pandemic and isolating themselves from the rest of the world, they are able to hold these large mass gatherings. With backlash of supporting the LGBTQ community Taiwan is setting an example for the rest of Asia with the hopes of getting more countries to follow in their footsteps to legalize same sex marriage. In the near future more laws and more recognition will be given to the LGBTQ community with the hopes of giving them full rights within the country.
Being a non recognized state by China, Taiwan, has been in conflicts over land disputes and other governmental issues they have had to fight to maintain their own statehood. LGBTQ recognition spread to Taiwan with globalization. With the shut down of the countries border, Taiwan has been isolating itself from others and therefore has been lacking the influence of globalization within the country ever since Covid-19 began. With no new cases being reported in the last 200 days, Taiwan is able to start opening back up its countries borders and spheres of influence will begin to travel to the country again.