Taiwan Pride 2025: Buckle Up for Color Taipei Bus Tour

TaiwanPlus News

During Taiwan’s October Pride month, a group of drag queens are working with the Taipei city government on a special sightseeing bus tour that’s meant to connect people with the local queer community by getting to know the performers and some of the country’s LGBTQ+ history.   Reporter: Irene Lin  Videographer: Fuhua Hung  Video Editor: Alison Nguyen   #TaiwanPlusNews #TaiwanPride #LGBTQ #Pride #DragQueen

Transcript

00:00Taiwanese drag queen Hannah Monina has a special gig this night as a performer and a tour guide.

00:12In its first official collaboration with the Taipei City government,

00:15the twin agency offers a total of 30 tours along seven routes

00:19that take people on rides around some of Taipei's most significant LGBTQ plus landmarks.

00:25From the city's queer cultural hub in the Ximen neighborhood

00:28to some of the community's favorite gay and lesbian bars.

00:32I think that is more personal because you get really close to audience

00:37and normally it only happens when you have really close friends.

00:41They have this question like where does Hannah from?

00:45And they offer me the opportunity to explain how I feel my identity

00:50because I could feel there's something inside myself

00:53and drag is a thing to make that happen.

00:57And every October, thousands come from all over the world

01:00to immerse themselves in the prize celebrations in Taipei,

01:03including this bus tour.

01:05As well as boosting local tourism, it also teaches people about LGBTQ plus history here.

01:10In politics in the UK, I think queer, gay and trans rights

01:15are actually going backwards to a degree.

01:18So it's really interesting and kind of refreshing

01:22because I feel like here things are going forward

01:25and the message is never go backwards.

01:29I didn't realize that it was Pride Week,

01:32but when I found out I was super excited

01:34because I was in some other countries

01:38and I didn't really see any people who were out.

01:43And then when I came to Taipei,

01:46I noticed it was way more queer-friendly.

01:49The bus tour will continue until the end of the Pride Parade this weekend,

01:53with cheers from the crowd echoing

01:55not only for the drag queen on stage,

01:57but for the ongoing effort to bring people together.

02:00Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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