Tens of Thousands Celebrate Taiwan Pride as Marriage Vote Looms

As tens of thousands gathered for Taiwan LGBT Pride Saturday, the future of LGBTQ equality in the Asian nation remained uncertain.

Last year, activists celebrated a major victory after the nation's Constitutional Court ruled that Taiwan must recognize same-sex marriage by 2019.

However, as politicians have dragged their heels, there has not been notable progress toward achieving this goal. Moreover, a set of referendums that are pro- and anti-marriage equality may put the issue's fate in the hands of voters on November 24.

This situation served as the political backdrop for this year's Pride parade, the largest in Asia, in Taiwan's capital of Taipei. An estimated 130,000 people took part in the festivities, reports the Associated Press. As a result, there was a mix of anxiety and optimism among the participants.

“There should not be boundaries when it comes to love and sex,” Wang Zi, a Beijing native, told the AP. “I am supporting this. Although I cannot take part in this [referendum], I will support Taiwan with all my might. Go Taiwan! Go marriage equality!”