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Tag: parade

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The Largest Gay Pride Parade Ever, Held In Asia!

About 30,000 people participated in Taiwan's annual gay pride parade in Taipei Saturday afternoon and called on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to show their political power to demand more LGBT-friendly policies from governments. Some onlookers bought rainbow flags for 50 New Taiwan dollars (about 1.63 U.S. dollars) each from volunteers, who said the money will be used to stage next year's parade. Apart from local people from various parts of the island, Saturday's parade, with the theme "Out & Vote," also drew supporters from Hong Kong, Japan, the Chinese mainland and South East Asian countries, according to the parade's organizer, the Taiwan LGBT Pride Community, a coalition of LGBT and other civil society organizations. The event also attracted a record 126 social groups and shops hawking LGBT-themed goods. After marching for about 3 miles along a route taking in many homosexual landmarks -- gay bars and a park where gays used to congregate -- the marchers returned to their starting point for a concert. First held in 2003 with about 500 participants, the event has grown quickly. In 2009, 25,000 people participated, making it the largest gay-pride parade of the Chinese community across the world.

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The 3rd Annual "Million Fag March" May 1st 2010

The Million "Fag" March is an annual event held at Gage Park in Topeka, KS near the home of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church (GodHatesFags.com). The March is designed to protest the antics of Phelps and his church, who have become a symbol for the homophobia that remains throughout the United States. The main goal of the MFM is to use the very same rights and laws the members of the WBC use to shield themselves. However, the March sends out an opposing message of peace and acceptance for all people. "We believe that ignoring a problem will not make it go away, and that we must take advantage of the rights our country gives us to speak up when we see wrong-doing in our communities, cities, and the U.S. as a whole."

Saturday May 1st 2010 2:00 PM Topeka, KS Gage Park Ampitheater

Follow on Twitter: @millionfagmarch

For more information go to http://www.millionfagmarch.com/ or contact: 785.783.4730 mfm@millionfagmarch.com

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15th Annual - Melbourne Aussies Celebrated Pride Sunday, Under The Bluest Skies!

Under the theme of ‘one heart, one world, one pride’, a mammoth 97 queer groups braved a scorching Melbourne day, marching as a community with pride and in solidarity down St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street for Victoria’s 15th Annual Pride March. This year’s pride had seen some small but noticeable changes, including moving the march back to a more family friendly start time of 2pm – making traveling to and from the event more convenient, safer and easier, and which received much positive feedback. One of the traditions that stayed was the marchers being led by the Dykes On Bikes, and their gay male equivalents, the Melbourne Motorcycle Tourers. Pride March Victoria was next in the proceedings, later revealing Proudly Walking – a world pride song written and recorded in Melbourne specifically for the event. While the numbers of onlookers had dropped, this year’s Pride March boasted one of the highest numbers of marching participants in the pride event’s history, and by far the best representation of the diversity of Melbourne’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer communities. Queer youth and queer support groups, political parties, gay rights advocates, city councils, queer festivals and community organisations were well represented. Melbourne’s gay and lesbian sporting teams were truly out in force, as were the ethnic pride groups. Melbourne’s favourite queer venues and businesses reinforced their presence. It was exciting to see more of Victoria’s rural queer groups taking part in this year’s march as well. “We are Pride March ‘Victoria’, not just Pride March Melbourne… that includes all our queer communities, not just the ones in inner city Melbourne,” said Pride March Victoria President Brett Hayhoe in an interview on JOY 94.9 show, The Conch with Paul Anthony. “We are happy to say our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in rural Victoria are well represented… You’ll definitely see excellent representation of the many facets of our community at Pride march this year… and every year.” Victoria Police were without a doubt, the most popular marching group with onlookers. Chief Police Commissioner Simon Overland proudly led the Police along their march with a smile and a wave to the very supportive crowd. It is his first march since getting the top position. Despite coming under fire from mainstream media for participating in the Pride March and ensuring other officers that did got paid for their time at the march, Overland said he had no regrets at all. “Victoria Police is proud to be a part of Pride. It’s wonderful to have this community confidence and support. We are here for everyone, for all Victorians,” he told Same Same. Debuting in their first ever Pride March, the recently formed Melbourne gay rugby union team, the Melbourne Chargers were also very popular favourites with the crowd. Also making their debut was Victoria’s only Mardi Gras marching group, the Melbourne Pride Team who showed off their Peace Train to much cheer and amusement. Gay hotspots, the Greyhound Hotel and DT’s Hotel were popular with the crowd, helped along with some fabulous drag artists and some flouncy style. Equality campaigners Equal Love got lots of cheers, as did the Australian Sex Party who called for gay marriage equality, and an end to internet and entertainment censorship. Other popular groups that received big applause included Greek and Gay, Italian and Gay, Minus 18, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and queer radio broadcaster JOY 94.9. However, not everyone got cheers and claps. A couple of floats received boos from the crowd as they marched down Fitzroy Street, such as the Liberal Party float. Police presence at the event seemed down on last year, but then again so were the number of people attending to view the march. Also down, was the number of volunteers and marshals helping out at the event, with calls for volunteers and volunteer registrations taken till the last minute. Council permits and changes to venue licencing also changed the landscape of the event, with popular bars and parade view points such as the Prince of Wales hotel and Bandroom balcony restricted to just 70 people each. There was a significant presence of representatives of councils monitoring that new codes were being adhered to with hefty fines dealt out to Fitzroy Street venues over the course of the day, including the Prince Of Wales. On a positive note, the vibe in St Kilda was the best it has been in ages. People attending felt safe enough to dress more visually queer and flamboyant than in previous years. By all reports so far, the 2010 Pride March was incident free, adding up to be what was a very safe, peaceful and visually queer pride event. As the march ended, crowds flocked to the Cantani Gardens for more celebrations, entertainment and festivities, scrambling for highly valued patches of shade from the hot sun. As the sun set, the hot summer day barely cooled into very warm and humid night. A much bigger and faster bar kept the punters happy and hydrated. Community and business stalls featured as part of this year’s Pride March layout with varying degrees of success. What was a hit however was the Gasworks Arts Park stage, bursting with cool queer entertainment including lesbian magician Catch Jameson, a strip show by the King Vic Drag Kings, cabaret queen Yana Alana and the Piranhas, Melbourne’s sexy dance singer Anthony De Fina, and electro group Parralox. It was the perfect accompaniment to the already popular main stage, which featured the likes of Tracy Bartram, Katie Underwood and the Vinyl Pusher DJs, which kept revelers feeling the pride well into the evening. MORE PICS CLICK HERE
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2009 Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival and Parade Hits This Weekend

best_gay_palm_springs_rainbowThe 2009 Greater Palm Springs Pride Festival and Parade will return to downtown this weekend with noted gay community member Cleve Jones riding along as Celebrity Grand Marshal in Sunday's parade along Palm Canyon Drive. The two-day festival, slated for Saturday, Nov. 7 and Sunday, Nov. 8 will kick off both days at 10 a.m. at Palm Springs Stadium. This year's theme is "Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights." The festival, which will feature two food courts, more than 200 booths, a Country Western Dance Tent and a host of music entertainment - including headliner and international dance diva, Pepper Mashay - is expected to draw more than 20,000 people. The always popular Greater Palm Springs Pride Parade will follow on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. along Palm Canyon Drive. Mayor Steve Pougnet, his partner and their two children will ride along -- as well as Mayor Pro Tem Chris Mills and City Council members Ginny Foat, Rick Hutcheson, Lee Weigel and their families. Festival admission is $15 per person or $20 for a two-day pass. For more information, visit www.PSPride.org.
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Gay Pride around the World

Gay pride celebrated around the world

People took to the streets around the world on Sunday to participate in gay pride parades.

BarcelonaSpain Several men take part in a gay pride parade in Barcelona, Spain.

StPatricksCathedral Long strings of colorful balloons float above the street past St. Patrick's Cathedral during New York's annual Gay Pride Parade. Marchers marked the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall uprisings, a raid on the gay-friendly Stonewall Inn that was the starting point for riots that lasted several days in Manhattan's Greenwich Village.

NewDelhiIndia A participant looks on during a gay pride parade in New Delhi, India.

WeddingCake Stephan Hengst, left, Patrick Decker, center, and City of Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Carolien Gehrels pose for a photo in front of a traditional Dutch Delft Blue porcelain wedding cake during New York's annual Gay Pride Parade in New York. Hengst and Decker are one of the chosen 5 Trans-continental couples to get married in August's Amsterdam Pride.

PrideNewDelhi People participate in a gay pride parade in New Delhi, India. Hundreds of gay rights supporters waived flags and danced past traffic during marches through three Indian cities Sunday to celebrate gay pride.

BangaloreIndia Representatives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community gesture as they participate in Pride March rally in Bangalore, India.

DressedSpain A participant is all dressed up for the gay pride parade in Barcelona, Spain.

NYCLiza A drag queen dressed as Liza Minnelli waves to spectators during New York's annual Gay Pride Parade.

HairSpain A participant in the gay pride parade in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday, June 28.

Turkey Participants kiss during the annual Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul, Turkey. Several hundreds of gays, lesbians and transsexuals participated in the parade, condemning homophobia and violence against them and demanding equal rights.

MichaelJacksonPrideNYC A man dressed with elements of Michael Jackson's costumes marches in the Gay Pride Parade in New York.

ChicagoPride Thousands lined the street or stood on balconies of buildings lining Halsted Street to watch Chicago's 40th annual Gay Pride Parade on Sunday

HalstedBelmont Thousands line Halsted near Belmont for Chicago's 40th Annual Pride Parade.

Seattle Parade participants of all shapes and sizes walk in the Seattle Pride Parade.

SFPD Mock cops make their way to the Pride Parade on Sunday in San Francisco.

SFran The Pride Parade makes its way up Market Street on Sunday in San Francisco on Sunday, June 28, 2009

TorontoFire A Toronto fireman hose down spectators during Pride parade along Yonge Street in Toronto, Ont., June 28, 2009.

TorontoSpectators A group of spectators watch the Pride parade from an open second story window along Yonge Street in Toronto, Ont., June 28, 2009.


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Liza Minnelli - Paris Pride

lizaprideHundreds of thousands on Saturday marched through Paris and Berlin in flamboyant Gay Pride parades with  showbiz diva and gay icon Liza Minnelli mesmerising crowds in the French capital. Minnelli, who takes to the stage later Saturday in the French capital, a city which also holds fond memories for the star of her film director father, dazzled with a brief dance routine. "Freedom," she cried, dancing on a float festooned with multi-coloured balloons in the gay movement's symbolic rainbow hues. Organisers said about 700,000 people attended the event but police put the number at some 200,000. "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." But Castel said several things including marriage and adoption rights continued to elude gays and lesbians in France. The vibrant procession included two floats blasting pop and techno music. The event paid tribute to Stonewall -- a spontaneous New York uprising which erupted exactly 40 years ago and launched the US homosexual rights movement. The event took its name from a New York bar, called the Stonewall Inn, which shot to global attention when its gay clientele staged a revolt against police harassment, sparking clashes for five days. "It's been a long march. The progress accomplished has been great and gives us confidence," said Jack Lang, who as culture minister took one of the first Gay Pride marches in France in 1982. "But we have to think very seriously about all the homosexuals in Iran, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere who are being persecuted." Berlin's 31st Gay Pride march drew about 550,000 participants and spectators, according to local media estimates. The parade featured floats led by one emblazoned with the slogan "Step by step towards Gay Pride. Equal rights for all."
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Staten Island Pride

PrintAnson Reign is fighting for equality -- drag equality. "Three years ago, there was about two of us. Now you can't throw a rock without hitting a drag king," says Reign, aka 28-year-old Dana Cianciotto, a former Staten Islander who now performs on the regular in her hometown of Phoenix. "It was really difficult at first to get bookings, and there were queens that didn't want to book a king because they didn't think we'd be any good. You have to kind of fight for it and prove yourself, but it's worth it." Are you confused yet? Reign, who will be part of a long and diverse list of performers at this year's circus-themed Staten Island Pride Parade & Festival, is always amused when people don't understand what she's about. Think RuPaul, then flip it: Instead of doing up the hair, Reign decides how to groom and glue her goatee. Instead of rocking "Supermodel (You Better Work)," she's doing modern rock classics by Green Day. Continue reading "Staten Island Pride Parade and Festival goes under the big top on June 6" »
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May Our Flag Forever Wave

flagleftIn honor of Memorial Day and with just days remaining before June (Official Gay Pride Month) I wanted to share with you the history of how the Gay Pride Rainbow Flag came to be. Not everyone in the Gay Community knows the story of our our Gay Pride Rainbow Flag so I wanted to share the story with you so you may share it with others. It all began with the Eight Striped Version. The first Rainbow Flag was designed in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a San Francisco artist, who created the flag in response to a local activist's call for the need of a community symbol. (This was before the pink triangle was popularly used as a symbol of pride.) Using the five-striped “Flag of the Race” as his inspiration, Baker designed a flag with eight stripes. Baker dyed and sewed the material for the first flag himself — in the true spirit of Betsy Ross.

8stripe

The design may have been influenced by flags with multicolored stripes used by various left-wing causes and organizations in the San Francisco area in the 1960s. The Rainbow Flag originally had eight stripes (from top to bottom: hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sun, green for serenity with nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit). Handmade versions of this flag were flown in the 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade. Use of the rainbow flag by the gay community began in 1978 when it first appeared in the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade. Borrowing symbolism from the hippie movement and black civil rights groups, San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker designed the rainbow flag in response to a need for a symbol that could be used year after year. Baker and thirty volunteers hand-stitched and hand-dyed two huge prototype flags for the parade. The flags had eight stripes, each color representing a component of the community. The Seven Striped Version. After the November 1978 assassination of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and openly gay Supervisor Harvey Milk and the subsequent lenient sentence given to their killer, former Supervisor Dan White, the Rainbow Flag began to be used in San Francisco as a general symbol of the gay community. San Francisco-based Paramount Flag Co. began selling seven-striped (top to bottom: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) flags from its Polk Street retail store, which was located in a large gay neighborhood. These flags were surplus stock which had originally been made for the the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, a Masonic organization for young women. When Baker approached Paramount to make flags for the 1979 Gay Freedom Day Parade, Paramount informed Baker that fabric for hot pink was not available for mass production, and Baker dropped the hot pink stripe.

7stripe

The reality was that the gay community at this time (1978-1979) used almost any flag with a rainbow of stripes, including the Cooperativist flags, Buddhist flags, Sufi flags, Tibetan flags… in short anything even vertically striped flags. During the early days of the use of the rainbow as a symbol of gay pride (as opposed to gay liberation, which used the pink triangle on various colored fields) customers bought almost anything striped. At the Paramount Flag Co, the need for striped flags became acute and until the design was standardized we sold a wide variety of flags. The Current Version. Baker also asked Paramount to make vertical banners that would be split and displayed from the angular double bars of the old-style lamp posts on Market Street. Baker and Paramount's vice president Ken Hughes agreed to drop the hot pink and turquoise stripes and replace the indigo stripe with royal blue — resulting in three stripes on one side of the lamp post and three on the other.

current

Soon the six colors were incorporated into a six-striped version that became popularized internationally.

Happy Memorial Day!

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Moscow Bans Gay Parade

pridemoscowbigMoscow has banned a gay parade planned to coincide with its hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest because it will "destroy morals" in the capital, a spokesman for the city's mayor said Thursday. Gay rights activists have staged small unsanctioned parades in Moscow without government approval over the past few years. But they have faced arrests and severe beatings by anti-gay and neo-fascist groups.
"The Moscow government is saying: Moscow has never had gay parades and it never will," said Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's spokesman, Sergei Tsoi. "Not only do they destroy morals within our society, but they consciously provoke disorder which threatens the lives of Muscovites and visitors."
Parade organizer and prominent gay rights activist Nikolai Alekseyev said on his english version website www.gayrussia.ru that the event would take place anyway.
"This is our right and it is guaranteed by the constitution. No official, including the Moscow mayor, has the right to violate it," Alekseyev said.
But Luzhkov's spokesman said any attempt to hold an unsanctioned gay parade would be "toughly stopped by law enforcement agencies in accordance with the law." Luzhkov, who has been mayor of Moscow since 1992, once said gay parades were "a satanic act" Russia did not decriminalize gay sex until 1993, two years after the Soviet Union's collapse, and intolerance is widespread. Moscow has no gay-friendly district and the homosexual scene is still largely underground. Public displays of affection between same-sex couples are rare. The gay parade, scheduled for May 16, was meant to coincide with Moscow's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest. Activists had asked that competitors back homosexual rights on stage. A Swiss-based Eurovision spokesman, currently in Moscow, declined to comment on the banning of the parade but said: "It's not a secret that we have a large gay audience and we respect everyone's backgrounds."
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Mayor Newsom Pride Marshal

newsomSan Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is political grand marshal for the 26th annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade. Long Beach Pride administrative director Carl Highshaw says Newsom was picked for his efforts at getting gay marriage on the national stage. Newsom is revered by same-sex marriage advocates who see him as a civil rights leader. The parade is May 17 at 10:30 a.m. Robin Tyler and Dianne Olson, the first lesbian couple to bring a legal challenge to the state's same-sex marriage ban, are parade grand marshals. See Our coverage of last years Long Beach Pride in the Related Articles below.

longbeachpride

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IN the Parade

With less than a week till plans are formalized for Obama's inaugural parade, a group called "In the Parade" is seeking representation by the LGBT community in the event. Started by "several dedicated members of the San Francisco bay area LGBTQI community" (What does the 'I' stand for? Seriously), the group is calling on people to contact members of the 2009 Inaugural Committee and their representatives and make the case that LGBT people ought to be included in the parade. Since this is the 21st Century, the site provides you with easy forms allowing you to do just that.

We're sort of surprised that no LGBT group has ever marched in a parade. In '92 and '96 Clinton allowed gays and lesbians to form a separate group on the sidewalk, but this would be the first time an LGBT group marched in the actual parade, despite the fact that many citizen's groups usually do.


Help Secure LGBT Representation in the 2009 Inaugural Parade
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