TAIPEI (Reuters) -Almost 150,000 people braved blustery rain in a boisterous and colourful celebration of LGBTQ+ equality in Taiwan on Saturday at east Asia’s largest Pride march, thronging the streets of the capital city Taipei.

Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in 2019 in a first for Asia and is a bastion of tolerance and liberalism in a region where the rights of sexual minorities are often either suppressed or outlawed.

The streets of central Taipei were packed for the 23rd annual Pride parade.

Eden Lau, 33, a personal trainer from the China-ruled city of Hong Kong, told Reuters he was extremely happy to be attending for the very first time.

“In Hong Kong things for the LGBT (community) have gone backwards. I don’t know why but it’s really a shame,” he said.

In September, Hong Ko

See Full Page