By Zhen-Kang —

Kaohsiung Pride

Photos from the 14th Kaohsiung Pride parade…

Group of people walking with rainbow-colored flags on a sunny day.
Kaohsiung Pride 2023. Photo: Zhen-Kang.

This afternoon, I went to Kaohsiung’s 14th—and my first—Pride event.

I met a friend at Aozidi Forest Park (凹仔底森林公園), a 10-hectare green space north of central Kaohsiung. Along one side of the park, we watched some performers and wandered through the Pride market, before finding a shaded spot to watch the parade.

Taiwanese Pride parades are apparently unique, globally, because anyone can join on the day. (Proving this point, for a few minutes we inadvertently joined the parade ourselves.)

The atmosphere was warm, casual, and relaxed. Loved it.

An estimated 30,000 people were in the parade today. Here are my photos of some of them:

Person in costume, walking in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Person in costume, walking in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Shaggy dog in a stroller, in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Person dressed as the Statue of Liberty, and a person inside an inflatable animal costume, at the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Woman in the Kaohsiung Pride Parade holding a colorful sign that says “Every short girl needs a tall girlfriend”.
Person wearing a pup mask in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
People in costumes in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Person walking alone, holding a protest sign about “Independent nation Taiwan”.
Person in a costume in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
People in costume in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Person wearing colorful outstretched feathered wings.
Person dressed as Superman holding hands with person dressed as Spiderman.
Person singing in front of a crowd. One person in the crowd is holding a rainbow-colored Christian cross.
People walking in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Singer pointing at the camera, in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
People calling out to the crowd from a float in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Rainbow-colored flag with the words “Moomoo Kaohsiung”.
Woman holding a sign that says “I’m proud of being myself”.
Group of men walking at Kaohsiung Pride.
Person with large feathered wings, walking in the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Group of 20 or more people walking together in the Kaohsiung Pride parade. One man is in a Superman costume and holding a large rainbow flag.
Man dressed as a red pup, posing for the camera.
Shirtless dancer looking at the camera and making a heart-shape with his hands.
Person in costume walking at the Kaohsiung Pride parade.
Shirtless elderly man, wearing rainbow-colored pants and carrying a large rainbow flag.
Group of people singing and dancing, surrounded by rainbow flags.
Person in costume and wrapped in a rainbow flag.
Two men in costume, walking arm-in-arm.
Person taking a photo of a small stuffed toy, with the Kaohsiung Pride crowd in the background.
Three people singing on the LesPark float.
Two men in costume, walking in the Kaohsiung Pride parade. One is giving a peace sign with his left hand.
Back view of two men standing close together. The man on the right is holding a sleeping child.
Smiling man draped in a rainbow flag, holding a protest sign.
The presidential election’s coming up in January. Of the three remaining candidates, two are opposed to LGBT rights. This sign translates to “Sound in mind and body. Do not vote Ko P [ex-Taipei mayor]. Retain democracy and equal rights. Do not vote KMT [Kuomintang].” Photo: KianKok Tan.
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