New Queer Photography: A Fantastic New Photo Book

New Queer Photography: A Fantastic New Photo Book

If you had the chance to see the iHeartBerlin group exhibition Uncensored Berlin last year, you know that we love supporting bold photographers, unafraid of making a statement. The same thing could be said about Benjamin Wolbergs, who is currently preparing to publish a unique book that presents contemporary LGBTIQ photography, featuring many of the artists that took part in our exhibition.

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Jao Moon: Everybody Can Be Everybody Can Not Be

Jao Moon: Everybody Can Be Everybody Can Not Be

When the magnificent Martini Cherry Furter opens the door to the main stage of Ballhaus Naunynstraße to welcome you in, you know you’re in for a treat. What awaits you inside is a feast for the eye thought up by dancer and choreographer Jao Moon and his team. “Everybody Can Be Everybody Can Not Be” is the fourth work of the young performer, but his debut as a choreographer of an ensemble.

Following the strong aesthetics of his previous solo piece Memory of Dislocation, Jao is once again presenting a piece that is visually stunning – not only because of the beautiful stage design by Michi Muchina with light by Emilio Cordero Checa, or the costumes by Billi Lobos, but also because of the unique and talented cast, including the aforementioned Martini, as well as Amada Tinoco, Natasha Vergilio, Francisco Bejarano Montes de Oca and, of course, Jao himself.

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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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The 16 Most Promising Berlinale Movies of 2019

The 16 Most Promising Berlinale Movies of 2019

Berlin is kind of a tough city for cinephiles, especially for those of us that (still!) don’t speak German. American films usually come out months later in Germany, and foreign films are either dubbed or subtitled in German. The biggest movies of the year usually come out in December, meaning that some titles still aren’t available in Berlin until February, March or even later, well after the awards have been given. And forget about downloading them (unless you have a VPN)!

But there is a bright side: the Berlinale is one of the film industry’s most prestigious festivals, and it’s actually the largest one in the world, based on annual attendance. Our international community is in luck because all the films are subtitled in English (and German too, sometimes). Instead of being late to the party, the party actually kicks off here: many of these are world premieres, without distribution deals even. So it really is a treat to attend a Berlinale screening.

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This Gay Rugby Team from Berlin Knows How to Defeat Stereotypes

This Gay Rugby Team from Berlin Knows How to Defeat Stereotypes

photo: Slawomir Urban – URBANKAMERA

Straight men like football, basketball, and rugby. Gay men like gymnastics, ice-skating and yoga. These stereotypes can be right 60ish% of the time (this number is made up). But in some cases, they are so, so wrong and harmful. Stereotypes are a tricky thing. Of course, they help our silly human brains process information quicker and make faster decisions (though not necessarily better decisions). But when it comes to human interactions, your easy stereotypes can feel like a cage to the person you apply it too.

With the mission to show the world that stereotypes should be second-guessed in the case of sports and sexual preferences, the Berlin Bruisers take a strong stand on the field. The gay rugby team’s recent campaign – with the slogan “Fight For Being You” – was published on Facebook, Instagram and in print. When it came out, it caused quite some controversy (especially with straight men), which made me notice it.

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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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Show Your Pride – A Rainbow in My Hair

Show Your Pride – A Rainbow in My Hair

Sponsored

A couple of weeks ago I was invited by Wella Professionals to be part of their new #ShowYourPride campaign and participate in a photoshoot for Blonde Magazine along with the striking Strify, the luscious Leonie, and the daring David. It was certainly an unexpected request, but one I followed gladly, because it gave me the opportunity to talk about diversity and being different – but also because I got the chance to express some public pride myself with a dash of rainbow colors in my hair.

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This New Festival Brings Partying to a WHOLE New Level

This New Festival Brings Partying to a WHOLE New Level

photo: Victor Luque

Berlin’s queer nightlife is vibrant, diverse and yet divided, full of holes and ruptures. If you want your own little party island, you will find it, but finding that one common ground seems almost utopian. But now, WHOLE United Queer Festival wants to prove that there can be a queer common ground where we put all differences aside and dance together – at Europe’s first queer electronic music festival! Anyone familiar with what’s hot and what’s not after sunset might rub their eyes looking at the festival collaborators Buttons, Cocktail d’Amore, Curated by Girls, Discwoman, Pornceptual, Members, Riot, G Day,  Horse Meat Disco, Unter, and TrashEra. It’s literally like your favorite Saturday nights went on a date and made a baby.

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