President Lai Ching-teh is speaking out in support of rights gained to date
by the LGBTQ community.

He said to mark Pride Day, which is celebrated today in Taipei, that equality
can't be reversed ... and respect must carry through to all parts of society,
from the exercise of power to respecting people's privacy beyond the public
sphere.

In a post on Facebook, the president noted his concerns about some recent
law-enforcement controversies potentially signaling a regression of hard-won
gains made by the LGBTQ community.

It appears to be a bipartisan issue.

KMT Chair Zheng Li-wen noted the coincidence of Pride Day with Halloween this
year.

She posted a video on Facebook of herself being transformed into the Disney
witch Maleficent.

She took the opportunity to encourage participants in the Pride Day march to
have courage to be themselves and freely love whomever they want ... as they
break boundaries and walk together fearlessly.

She says in her post that although Maleficent is seen as evil, the message of
the modern Disney movie is that anyone can redeem themselves if they let go
of prejudices.

The Pride Day march kicks off at 2pm today at Taipei City Hall Square.

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