*Thousands march in Taipei for gay rights*

 From correspondents in Taipei

October 13, 2007 06:08pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse

THOUSANDS from Taiwan's gay and lesbian community marched through the
streets of Taipei today demanding more rights for homosexuals,
organisers say.

The parade took a carnival-like mood with marchers waving rainbow flags,
colourful balloons and signs. Some were dressed in flamboyant period
costumes while others only wore swim trunks despite the cool windy weather.

In a symbol of unity, participants will get together with coloured
placards to form a giant rainbow flag later today in a bustling business
district in Taipei, organisers said.

The parade will reach its climax in the evening with a rally outside
Taipei City Hall, where Taiwanese pop diva A-Mei will be recognised as a
goodwill ambassador by organisers for her support of the gay community
and perform several songs, they said.

Despite the festive atmosphere, organisers hoped to get some serious
messages across to the public.

"We urge the Parliament to pass the anti-discrimination bill and the
same-sex partner bill to promote gay rights," said co-organiser Wang
Ping, secretary-general of Gender/Sexuality Rights Association Taiwan.

Taiwan's cabinet in 2003 drafted a controversial bill to legalise
same-sex marriages and recognise the rights of homosexual couples to
adopt children, the first country in Asia to do so.

However, the law has yet to be passed and some gay groups have
criticised the bill as a ploy to woo voters.

"We also hope the Government will protect the freedom of speech of the
gay community," Wang Ping added, referring to the guilty verdict of a
gay book dealer for selling pornography magazines.

In 2005, a district court in northern Taiwan sentenced J J Lai, owner of
a gay bookstore in Taipei, to 50 days in jail on obscenity charges in a
ruling which has outraged the gay community. Lai's appeal was rejected
by the Taiwan High Court later that year.