WorldPride 2025 Taiwan, an international LGBTQ event, has been formally canceled as a result of the organizers’ request that the term “Taiwan” be removed from the title. Taiwan, however, laid the blame for the event’s postponement of “political factors” on Friday. According to WorldPride 2025, the event’s organizers, the LGBTQ rights organization InterPride, sought to alter the event’s name to “WorldPride Kaohsiung,” the host city in southern Taiwan. Notably, China rejects any representation of the country as a distinct nation since it sees it as part of its territory. It has been participating in international events such as “Chinese Taipei” to reduce tensions.
Taiwan Blames Politics For The Event Being Canceled
After receiving permission from InterPride, Kaohsiung was slated to host WorldPride 2025.
However, the Kaohsiung organizers said that InterPride had just “suddenly” requested that they modify the event’s name to “Kaohsiung,” omitting the term “Taiwan.” It takes great pride in its standing as a stronghold of liberalism and LGBTQ rights. A record 200,000 people turned out for a pride march in Taipei after the island nation legalized same-sex unions in 2019. “Following careful consideration, it is deemed that the event’s continuation might be detrimental to their interests and those of the local homosexual community. As a result, it was decided to cancel the project before a contract was signed, according to the Kaohsiung organizers.
The first WorldPride event to take place in East Asia, according to the Foreign Ministry, would have promoted equality and diversity in the area.
The government has been cracking down on representations of LGBTQ individuals in the media and the community’s usage of social media, and same-sex marriage remains prohibited in China.