06/13/2009
Rome, Zagreb, Warsaw, Athens: Gay Pride Across Europe
Many Gay Pride celebrations are taking place this weekend. One is in Rome:
"Costumed demonstrators carrying rainbow flags and signs reading 'freedom for all' attacked the conservative government of Premier
Silvio Berlusconi. They demanded rights for same-sex couples and the recognition of gay marriage. Activists
dressed as fake clergy with colorful hats and signs reading 'No
Vatican' protested what they say is the church's excessive influence on
Italy's policies."
One thousand took to the streets in Warsaw (right), 2,000 in Athens.
Zagreb, Croatia had a similar spirit but a much different tone (photo below):
"In Croatia, another mostly Roman Catholic country, about 500 gay activists marched through Zagreb. No violence was reported, but about 50 people held a counterdemonstration and shouted anti-gay slogans. One was led away by police after trying to break through a cordon that authorities had created around the Gay Pride parade to protect it."
Video of today's parade in Rome, AFTER THE JUMP (warning: nsfw moments)...
Posted 8:17 PM EST by Andy Towle in Croatia, Gay Marriage, Gay Pride, Gay Rights, Greece, Italy, News, Poland, Rome | Permalink
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That's certainly an, um, colorful video. And one that so succinctly represents the gay community?
Sigh...
Posted by: Jason | Jun 14, 2009 1:41:58 AM
@Jason Shut the fuck up, you heterosexist brainwash. Blend in all you want, some of us embrace our difference. Arcadians-Barf!
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 14, 2009 3:25:55 AM
Our community is richly diverse. There are times that we need to wallow in that diversity. Pride is a wonderful time to do just that. I guess most of us could blend in, but that would really be boring.
Posted by: Mike in the Tundra | Jun 14, 2009 4:47:34 AM
I was glad to see posters announcing Today's Gay Pride Parade in Glyfada-Athens. There
was an advertisement in "Things to do in Athens"for a Drag Bar (the only one in Greece) at the hotel where I was staying. There is hope...for the future,
and thanks to great web sites your... gays from around the World are able to see a better tomorrow. Happy Pride Month!
Posted by: jerry pritikin | Jun 14, 2009 5:19:20 AM
maybe expressing our "difference" could take a more original or stylish form than dressing up as Jesus or cavorting around as a nun in fishnets? i'm just saying. it's really been done to death. and it plays directly into the hands of our enemies, who wish to portray us as reactionary and adolescant. and really it's not shocking now, it's a pride month cliché. it would only be shocking if no one did it.
Posted by: Elcamino | Jun 14, 2009 9:05:38 AM
The surprising thing to me about Rome (and Italy in general) is how closeted gay people are, due to the overwheliming cultural and political influence of the Catholic Church. For a city the size of Rome, I would have expected a HUUUUGE gay pride parade. What you don't really realize in this video is how small this parade is and how nearly invisible gay people are in Rome the rest of the year. It's like the US back in the early 60s, almost.
Posted by: Seattle Mike | Jun 14, 2009 11:43:56 AM
Adolescent, offensive and counter-productive beyond measure. "Elcamino" you are, as my Brit cousins would say, spot on. In Italy, most wear their Catholicism lightly in the sense of ignoring canon law and dogma. However, it is unquestionably part of the collective cultural mindset; when you mock it you alienate many actual or potential allies. The same goes for Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe. Moreover,dressing up as clergy or religious or Jesus has become a tired cliche' at this point.
Now those who equate Pride with being a license for moral nihilism and permanent self-absorbed adolescence can flame me.
Posted by: Contrarian | Jun 14, 2009 12:38:43 PM
Ha... loved seeing Jesus in the parade! Pride in Roma would be fun.
But I agree with SEATTLE MIKE, gay life in Rome is extremely quiet compared to other cities of its size. I would also attribute this to the presence of the Catholic Church.
Here in Montreal, there is a heavy Catholic presence, but not enough to keep us down. Pride is a HUGE event!
Posted by: @Daniel_Baylis | Jun 14, 2009 12:46:09 PM
I vote with Contrarian and ElCamino. The order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence sorely needs to disband. Rome is the city that bequeathed us the shocking images of Fellini and Pasolini; it need not descend into weary cliche to provoke a reaction from its populace. Roman queers are better and more creative than this (really, WTF, it took that drag queen like, five minutes, to get into that convertible?!?) For the record, I'm not for "blending in" either. Just standing out in newly radical and more thought-provoking ways, e.g. the guy who wears a conservative three-piece business suit at burning man is clearly going to get the biggest reaction.
Posted by: Christopher | Jun 14, 2009 1:39:51 PM
Is Andy friends with Dustin Lance Black? Those nude and sex photos are on blogs all over -- why the silence Towle?
Posted by: John | Jun 14, 2009 2:04:21 PM
According to my sources (one of the organizers) Zagreb had 800 people and was without serious incident. Yes, there were protesters, but we get those in the US as well.
Zagreb & Ljubljana are at the forefront in ex-Yugoslavia.
Posted by: Kevinvt | Jun 14, 2009 4:29:53 PM
"Andy friends with Dustin Lance Black? Those nude and sex photos are on blogs all over -- why the silence Towle?"
Because its none of our business? Or maybe just because its tacky and unfair and not the sort of thing you do to friends- known or otherwise.
Posted by: giovanni | Jun 14, 2009 7:24:37 PM
Yes, I agree with Giovanni - Perez should be ashamed of himself, cashing in on Dustin's misery like that. It really is beyond tacky. I don't think he needed to publish the uncensored images. I think it's only a matter of time before karma comes back on Perez for doing that.
Posted by: Christian | Jun 14, 2009 9:20:52 PM
Croatia protected gay pride marchers. That's a huge step (though probably an obligation under EU conventions).
Agreed on Dustin Lance Black. Poor judgment on his part for not recognizing that he's open to exploitation, but a far more horrible lack of decency on the part of the person(s) who leaked the photos and those who exploit them.
Posted by: Paul R | Jun 14, 2009 9:55:33 PM
As a person presented on the photo I want to explain one thing.
I was not dressed as a priest.
I am pastor of Free Reformed Church of Poland, and I was on Equality Parade with my congregation.
My church supports gay right for 5 years and for me it is a duty to present our Christian point of view at the parade.
God Bless You All
Rev. Szymon Niemiec
Posted by: Rev. Szymon Niemiec | Jun 14, 2009 10:12:41 PM
http://entretenimento.uol.com.br/ultnot/2009/06/14/ult4326u1322.jhtm
Sao Paulo today...again the largest Pride Parade in the world... 3.5 million people... why don't we know this?
Posted by: DCO in Sacto | Jun 14, 2009 11:59:20 PM
And we wonder why they hate us.... HELLO!?
Yes, my boyfrined and I hold hands while shopping for groceries. Yes, My BF and I kiss in public. Yes, we even call each other "hon" or "babe" or "boo" while out and about. BUT there is a limit people. NORMAL folks dont go about in "dragtastic" outfits. NORMAL queers dont need to shove ther junk in peoples faces. Look, Y'all, all Im saying is that if we consistatnly act like freaks, we cant ask to be accepted. There is a time and a place for everything. A gay pride parade is NOT the time to act like freaks and deviants. It only helps to perpetuate the stereotype, and propagate hate.
We need to show that we are not all that different that our hetero counterparts. We need to show that we are friends, neighbors, doctors, teachers, bankers, cooks, and yes, even construction workers and truck drivers! ( my BF is in construction) We need to show that we ARE NOT freaks and deviants. Look, IM damned proud of who I am, but we cant ask to be taken seriously if we go around acting like fools. Offending peoples religion IS NOT going to help our cause. Doing things like that only hurts us in the end. "act like an ass, and you will be treated like one" my dad used to say..well...he's right.
Posted by: Double N | Jun 15, 2009 12:03:53 AM
Do any of you assimilationist fucks and apologist retards know that Pride is celebrated in remembrance of all those 'freaks', 'deviants', 'dragtastics' and assorted other 'outsiders' who had the courage to stand up to the New York City Police on June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall Inn? They (or their more recent sisters) deserve front and center billing as far as I'm concerned!
Posted by: bading | Jun 15, 2009 12:21:34 AM
Why should we assimilate? Do you really think that's going to get us any more rights? I think the people who agree with us will still agree and the people who don't (fundies, strong conservatives, etc) won't care whether or not we keep quiet. So are we going to start silencing parts of our community? That sounds like a slippery slope...
Posted by: Confused | Jun 15, 2009 12:30:31 AM
Terribly sorry for that word I used after apologist. I just got so fucking riled-up at all these nitwits here who would deny the very people who started it all their rightful place in this celebration.
Posted by: bading | Jun 15, 2009 12:31:12 AM
To BADING and CONFUSED....
I did NOT say that we need to apologize for who and what we are. Yes, I do know that gay pride is a celebration of the Stonewall riots.
What I said, and you would know this if you read and comprehended my post, is that the behavior of a few people in a pride parade can hurt our cause.
If we intentionally offend, or behave in ways that reinforce the negative stereotypes, then we are not helping our cause.
I am not an assimilationist. I believe that we have every right to express our selves in what ever way we see fit...however, we cant get all pissy when we do "Jesus Drag" and someone takes offence. We, as human beings, should not intentionally offend others, just as others should not intentionally offend us.
Its not a matter of politics. Its not a matter of faith. Its a matter of common decency and respect for our fellow human beings.
I will admit to getting rather bitchy about the guy in the bar that claims no one respects him, while he is wearing a girls 'Tinker Bell" tank top that is three sizes too small and carrying a "Sponge Bob" lunch box as a purse.
You want respect? Fine.Act respectable!
Posted by: Double N | Jun 15, 2009 1:02:22 AM
@ Double N,
If you want to go bake and giftwrap some cookies and personally deliver them to all the members of the moron taberdebacle choir (pun intended), go ahead! Far be it from me to pass judgement on your complacency. It is 'decent' and 'respectable' people like you who have prevented us from getting the equality that is rightfully ours. Time to stop the acquiescence that directly contributes to our oppression. Time to get IN YOUR FACE BITCH!
Posted by: bading | Jun 15, 2009 1:32:09 AM
Double N - I am with you and the other like-minded posters. The thing that sucks about pride is that almost all that is reported in the media are drag queens, leather guys and shirtless women.
I have been to many pride marches where the overwhelming majority of the marchers were dressed as they do every day. There were many church groups, politicians, bands etc and what you see on television (or nowadays video clips) is NOT what is represented during pride.
I am for equality for all including trans, intersex etc. it doesn't matter but the very tricky thing about being gay is that it is an inner trait so people who may be on the fence for our rights or people who claim to know no gay peeps see these outrageous displays and go....hmmmm. yes....know I see what a gay person is....this fits right with my backwards religious and/or bigoted upbringing.
Posted by: Mike | Jun 15, 2009 2:00:53 AM
This isn't some kind of drag queen - assimilationist death match, as Bading implies without conceding or contemplating any other point of view. He can stop frothing indignantly. I love and admire drag queens. And we don't need history lessons from him about Stonewall.
What I said, and what I say, is that it is politically deeply stupid - and at this stage, it's also really really tired - to dress up as Jesus or a slutty nun in order to create sensation or shock in a pride parade. That's just a fact.
I'm not saying you don't have the right to give gratuitous offense to christians, if that's how you get your jollies, but you should know that's what you're doing, and that may be all you're doing. I just don't think it's an interesting "statement"; I don't think it says much of anything about gay "difference."
Posted by: elcamino | Jun 15, 2009 8:08:44 AM
"Oh yes, I love and admire gays too, some of my best friends are, ya know? But marriage? Heck no!"
Sound familiar?
Posted by: bading | Jun 15, 2009 9:53:34 AM