Taiwan celebrated its aboriginal drag queens this weekend in the capital, Taipei
Drag artiste Rose Mary was crowned Miss First Nation Taiwan in the inaugural drag beauty pageant in Taipei on Saturday (10 November).
The event saw four drag queens from Taiwan’s aboriginal community battle it out for the crown.
‘I did something I considered controversial, combining my aboriginal culture with drag’ Rose Mary wrote on Facebook.
‘Something inside of me changed after I finished my traditional Atayal singing’ Rose Mary said.
One of the organizers, Ben Graetz, said it was ‘more than just a drag queen beauty pageant’.
‘It brings together First Nation communities and lets the LGBTIQA+ mob know you are valid, you are beautiful and you are perfect just the way you are’ he wrote on Facebook.
There are at least 530,000 indigenous people living in Taiwan, about 2.3 per cent of the population.
‘Best place to be LGBTI in Asia’
Taiwan is often referred to as the best place to be gay in Asia.
What’s more, it might become the first country in the region to legalize same-sex unions.
Last month, more than 130,000 people marched in the region’s largest LBGTI pride parade.
Importantly, organizers wanted to draw attention to an upcoming referendum.
Taiwan will go to the polls in less than two weeks to decide whether to change the country’s Civil Code to equalize marriage or enact seperate ‘civil partnership’ legislation.
Have a look at some of the fabulous performances from Saturday below. Photos taken by Alejandro Wang.
by Rik Glauert
Source – Gay Star News
