The Berlin Street Parades of the Summer

The Berlin Street Parades of the Summer

photo: Jens Schwan. 

The summer has us in a daze of joy with the weather being so amazing and one event happening after the next. We find ourselves almost every day with a glass of Aperol Spritz in hand at some gathering enjoying the company of people and good music. July is brimming with opportunities to have fun and we are so here for it.

The summer is also the time for the big street parades and there are really countless ones happening is the next weeks, especially in relation to Pride. We selected some of the most important ones for you. 

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The Berlin Pride Parade Celebrated 50 Years of Stonewall

The Berlin Pride Parade Celebrated 50 Years of Stonewall

Last Saturday around 1 Million people came to the streets in Berlin to participate in the 40th Berlin Pride Parade. It was a big anniversary for Berlin and possibly also the biggest turnout in terms of people who came to walk or watch. But it was also a meaningful anniversary for the entire Pride movement worldwide. Exactly 50 years ago the Stonewall Riots took place in New York which started the entire LGBTQI movements and all the Pride Parades in the rest of the world in the years and decades that followed.

Even though the parade might seem like a big colorful and joyful street party that celebrated sexual liberty and hedonism there are still important messages sent out into the world with such events. We don’t even have to look very far: Hate crimes against LGBTQI people have gone up in Berlin in recent years. In many countries in the world, Pride Parades are suppressed by governments, such as in Russia, Turkey, and Poland. And most dramatically, many countries still criminalize homosexuality – in the worst cases even punish it by death.

So when we go to the streets in Berlin, we don’t just march for our own accomplishments in terms of LGBTQI rights, but also in solidarity for all those queer people in the world who are still fighting for acceptance and equality.

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The Highlight Events of Pride Week 2019

The Highlight Events of Pride Week 2019

This week is Pride Week in Berlin which means there is a whole string of fabulous queer events happening. In fact, there are so many events and parties that it might be hard to figure out which ones to go to. But don’t worry, we got you covered. We selected the highlights that you can trust will extra cool!

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Who was this Christopher Street Guy? – My Sister’s First Pride Parade

Who was this Christopher Street Guy? – My Sister’s First Pride Parade

Berlin is a crazy bubble in terms of diversity. Nowhere else in Germany are there so many different spaces, places and outlets for the members of the LGBTQI Community. Of course Berlin is not perfect in terms of safety for the said community. We still have harassments of transsexuals on a monthly basis, and I would not always dare to kiss a man at Kotti at night because you never know how the surroundings might react. Despite that, I am more than happy to call Berlin my home, since I feel that no other place in Germany has the same amount of freedom, tollerance and possibilities for people of different sexual orientations or gender identities.

The biggest celebration of this diversity is definitely the annual Christopher Street Pride Parade. Since I came to Berlin at the age of 18, I have been visiting the parade regularly. Some years I remember as stressful because of the heat and too many drinks. Or I felt that the event had turned too commercial, so I decided I’d rather visit an alternative demonstration instead. Other years the weather was a bit tricky. But nonetheless every parade has had its highlights and stolen kisses to tell of afterwards.

My personal highlight of this year was to bring along my little sister to Pride. It was her first big Pride parade and as I wanted to make the experience as memorable as possible, I showed her all the typical Pride rituals.

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CSD Berlin 2017 – So Wet, So Good, So Tenga

CSD Berlin 2017 – So Wet, So Good, So Tenga

A couple of weeks ago we got a call with a seductive offer: Tenga, a Japanese brand specialized on male and female masturbation toys, asked us if we would make a photoshoot with their products, specifically the pride edition of their bestseller, right at the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin. The task: the models of this shoot should be the visitors of the parade.

We thought about it and finally decided that having a “good excuse” to talk to cute strangers about masturbation on the Pride parade is not such bad job. Slurp!

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What to do on the CSD Weekend 2017

What to do on the CSD Weekend 2017

It is that time of the year! Call it Pride, call it Christopher Street day, call it “All the Queers are out on the streets”, all differences, frictions, and issues aside, it’s the week when all queer people are loud, visible and all over Berlin, proud of what they are and fighting for their place in society. For some protest means political actions, demonstrations, and speaches for some it’s dancing protest on Berlin’s streets and clubs. Any way it’s done, we are here, we are queer and there’s a lot for us to do this weekend. And the selection is as diverese as the queer community itself. Whether you’re into CSD or not, there is definitly something to participate for everyone.

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Rainy Gays and Party Days

Beaner

Beaner

A colourful gathering and lots of rain! It is CSD weekend and the whole city seems to be gay. Furthermore, regardless of the fact that this summer just seems to let us down, almost everything takes place outside.

Starting with Bar 25 on Thursday evening (yes, today!) and a cosy barbeque with Beaner with music by Function (Berghain) and Jin Choi for those of you who don’t mind bad weather. Until 23h there will be a BBQ grill and non dance music for a day in the sun (or rain). At 23h the party train arrives and doesn’t leave until you do! More parties as usual after the click.

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