Gay Pride Parade Weekend Brings out Supporters for Equal Rights

by Amy Judd | June 27, 2009 at 03:36 pm

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Gay Pride Parades are taking place around the world this weekend in support of Gay rights and equal rights for all. It's an opportunity for everyone to show their support for all kinds of lifestyles and people, and each celebration is often accompanied by a colorful parade with floats, costumes, and music.

In Tampa Bay, their pride parade went off without a hitch; there were a few protesters and some rain, but it was a successful event overall.

The festival, which included a parade down Central Avenue, happened one day before the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots – the response to a police raid on a New York gay bar that sparked the current gay rights movement.

Pastor Billy Ball of Primrose, Ga., was among several small groups of protesters picketing the festival. Ball carried a sign that said: "Three Gay Rights: AIDS, Hell, Salvation."

In Toronto, people danced in the streets and it was very much a family affair. Some attendees commented on their experience:

My first parade moved me to tears (not to sound too maudlin) because there was such an atmosphere of acceptance and celebration that left people of all stripes (participants and spectators) just glowing with pride and joy. It was perhaps best exemplified by a young suburban family with two little girls in strollers who were watching the antics of drag queens, semi-clad men, parents of gays and lesbians, politicians, union workers

What I love is the fact that at Pride, there's all these families there – from every different background, from all over this city – and I think it's an extraordinary thing. It's a testament to the fact that Toronto welcomes everyone.

The 26th annual Gay Pride Parade was held in Dublin today with the theme 'Pride and Prejudice'; thousands attended the parade which celebrated literary gay icons in history.

The parade follows the publication of the Civil Partnership Bill which provides for equal treatment for same sex couples in a number of areas of law including tax, pensions and inheritance.

The parade in Paris had a special guest, Liza Minnelli, who performed a short dance routine for the supporters as well. About 700,000 attended the event.

"We knew that she had a concert this evening in Paris but when her agent told us that she could come, we thought it was a joke," said Philippe Castel, the spokesman for an umbrella grouping of some 50 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender bodies.

"It's really an honour and a great pleasure to have her with us, she's an icon," he said.

"This will bring greater visibility to our fight."

In Bulgaria, the parade started at 4:30 p.m local time under the motto 'Rainbow Friendship'. It was also organized to mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York.

Sofia's gay parade is going to have a number of special guests including Members of the European Parliament, Ambassadors, artists, and singers

550,000 people attended the Berlin pride parade, which had 50 floats, and had 10 percent more attendance than last year.

The day began with a shock, when Rudolf Brazda, 96, collapsed and grazed his head and arm during a speech at the national monument to homosexual victims of Nazi persecution.

Brazda suffered in Buchenwald concentration camp from 1941 to 1945.

He was fine however.

It was a sad start to the parade weekend in Ljubjana, when eight people attacked people at a cafe for gay and lesbian literature night. They shouted anti-gay slogans and even tried to burn the cafe.

Blažić was treated in the Ljubljana Clinical Center for cuts on his head and burns on his neck from the torch, which the assailants beat him with.

He is the president of the Integration of Homosexuality in the country.

In Jerusalem, the parade did take place but was toned down a bit, unlike the parade held in Tel Aviv.

Among the various groups in the parade, one held up banners proclaiming: "Proud to be gay and religious." "I'm here for the freedom of expression of our community which is victim of discrimination," said Noam, 29, who wore a Jewish yarmulke and a T-shirt with the words: "Jerusalem free and proud."

There were some demonstrations however and about 1,500 police were there to monitor the event.

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cezzar1981

at 16:54 on June 27th, 2009

Dublin Pride Parade 2009 / "Pride and Prejudice?"

cezzar1981 has contributed a photo to this story.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 17:42 on June 27th, 2009

Thanks for this, Amy!

Blue Crush

at 09:17 on June 28th, 2009

TORONTO Gay Pride Parade - Live Stream, starts at 2:00 pm

Barbara McPherson

at 13:06 on June 28th, 2009

Yuliya Talmazan

at 15:33 on June 28th, 2009

On Sunday, a pride parade took place in New Delhi and two other cities in India, where homosexuality is still criminalized. India is a very conservative country, making today’s parade a big achievement for the GLBT community in India. This year marks the second time that a pride parade has taken place in India. India’s government seems to be moving in the direction of changing the controversial law that criminalizes homosexual relationships.

Shouting slogans like 'Down with 377' and 'Proud to be homos,' and dancing to the tunes of drummers, the marchers demanded scrapping of the controversial Section 377 of Indian Penal Code that declares as a criminal offence ‘sex against the order of nature’.

Dressed in colourful attires, the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, many of them donning masks, started from the Barakhamba road and culminated their march at the Jantar Mantar.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily also said he would soon meet with two other important government ministers to discuss changing the country's anti-homosexuality laws, according to Sunday's Hindustan Times newspaper.

The parades came a year after India's first large gay pride march, a celebration that supporters say would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

torontocitylife

at 16:15 on June 28th, 2009

Gay Pride Parade, Toronto, Canada -- June 28 '09
Overcast but still a blast.

torontocitylife has contributed a photo to this story.

FionaL

at 16:33 on June 28th, 2009

I was happy to witness the First Annual Trans Pride Parade. Although it was gone in a blink, it was a great start to build on.

Hoping for more awareness and support next year and an equal distribution of support towards the Dyke March that the Gay Pride March receives.

FionaL has contributed a photo to this story.

Snooker

at 22:53 on June 28th, 2009

The CSD (Christopher Street Day) in Berlin, Germany was quite lovely. The weather was nice, the feeling was fun and excited, and the music was fantastic.

Snooker has contributed a photo to this story.