Celebrating Lunar New Year in Taiwan: Lloyd Liu's Experience
February 8, 2024In celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year, XY Finance's Lloyd Liu shares their experience of the Lunar New Year as a non-binary Taiwanese person.
Image credit: Provided by Lloyd Liu
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi, my name is Lloyd, and I have identified as non-binary since I was 18. Throughout the exploration of my identity and sexual orientation, my family has always shown their support and love. I’m very lucky to grow up in an environment where being true to yourself is acceptable and always welcomed.
I’m currently working in a fintech startup as a visual designer. In my four years of experience in the design field, I design to resolve, create and expand.
What does Lunar New Year mean to you?
To me, Lunar New Year has always been a tiring holiday, where my family travels a lot to visit relatives. It’s good to gather around and have fun, but it is also quite exhausting to explain over and over again about my appearance or relationship status.
How do you celebrate Lunar New Year?
My family and I gather up to have a feast on New Year’s Eve. Usually, we clean the house from top to bottom the next day and put up banners around the house. Most importantly, we receive red envelopes from our parents, grandparents, and relatives.
What is your favorite Lunar New Year tradition?
Receiving red envelopes!
Can you share some of the main challenges that you/members of the LGBTQ+ community may face during the Lunar New Year?
The experience usually starts with a conversation about relationship status. Believing that there’s no need to hide my identity, I always tell the truth. Some of my relatives were shocked, and some felt confused and had no idea how to react. My grandfather gave me a toast and wished me the best when he found out about this, which is probably the warmest reception I’ve ever received after coming out.
What is your advice for someone who is still in the closet and spending Lunar New Year with their family?
It depends on your family’s opinion on this matter actually. The topic may come up in conversation, but whether to come out or not is still a matter of timing. Lunar New Year is a time for family reunions, so people are usually overwhelmed and distracted by the presence of other family members. I think that coming out is something that requires communication and understanding. There’s no need to rush into it or cause conflict. So I’d say choosing the right timing is more important.
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