LGBTQ RIGHTS/3,000 march in Taipei to support transgender community

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) An estimated 3,000 people marched on the streets of Taipei at the 2025 Taiwan Trans March on Friday night to show support for the community, according to the organizer, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association.

Themed "Break Prejudice, Shine Diversity," the march started at 228 Peace Memorial Park, headed west to loop around part of Ximending shopping district and circled back to the park.

Marching in intermittent rainshowers, participants waved transgender and rainbow flags, calling on the Taiwanese government to abolish the requirement for mandatory surgery to change gender markers on IDs.

Many also chanted that transphobia should "back off."

Po, a transgender man and volunteer at the Tongzhi Hotline, told CNA that the march is important because it is one of the few events centered around the trans community, allowing the community to see that many people support them and are willing to stand up for them, which helps the "1 percent" minority feel less alone.

Po realized he was transgender around high school, and started using hormone therapy in college.

He said he was relatively lucky in that he received little pushback from family and support from friends when he came out to them.

Addressing the "hurtful" messages that the community faces, which he believes stem from misunderstanding, he expressed hope that the event can help to show people the real trans community and open the way to a more diverse society.

June Chua, a transgender activist from Singapore, also emphasized the importance of "showing up."

Founder of the only LBTQ+ shelter for the homeless transgender community and HIV positive individuals in Singapore, Chua said that these minority groups are often "hidden," because they do not feel safe to express their needs.

She told CNA that it is the first time she has attended the transgender march in Taiwan, and was surprised but happy to see so many different kinds of people taking part.

"This is not something you see in Singapore."

In a press statement, the Tongzhi Hotline said the march was especially significant in 2025, in the midst of setbacks to transgender rights around the world earlier in the year.

These included the United States rolling back inclusive policies, announcing that it would only recognize "male" and "female" genders and withdrawing the option to self-select "X," as well as the United Kingdom Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

Now in its seventh year, the Taiwan Trans March is one of the few marches in Asia that focuses on transgender issues, according to the Hotline.

On Saturday, Taiwan LGBT+ Pride 2025 is scheduled to begin at 2:25 p.m. in front of Taipei City Hall, with the theme "Beyond Links: More than Clicks."