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Christopher Street Day Parade 2012 – Berlin’s Gay Pride

Statue of Liberty: Two revellers at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in BerlinSaturday’s Christopher Street Day Parade (Gay Pride) in Berlin was a riot of colour – apt as the parade was named to commemorate the Stonewall Riots in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1969.  The clashes were a reaction to a police raid on The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street and marked a turning point in the gay rights movement.

The first CSD parade was held in Berlin in 1979 and has since grown to be one of the biggest of its kind.

This year’s parade was started in Kreuzberg’s Gitschiner Strasse by Berlin’s Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, and finished at the Brandenburg Gate (Brandenburger Tor).

A visit to the parade shows just how far things have progressed from 1960s New York when it comes to LGBT issues.

I found a spot on Ebertstrasse not far from The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe where the crowd thinned a little to observe the procession.

Berlin’s ‘anything goes’ atmosphere and lax drinking laws, combined with the German attitude to nudity, meant that there was a lot of flesh on display.

This lead @jgrdnr to tweet:

Never thought the day would come, but I think I’ve actually seen TOO many dicks this afternoon. #csd #prideparade #berlin

I was careful with my shot selection and editing so that this post doesn’t have to carry an X Rating.

Horny: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

Pink Flamingos: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin enjoys the attention of the gathered photographers

Emily and Florence: Two revellers at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin reminded me of the characters from Little Britain

The issue of gentrification is never far from people’s minds in Berlin…

Gentrify Me: The issue of gentrification is never far from people’s minds in Berlin, even during the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD)

Smoking: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

Pocahontas: Two revellers at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

Angel: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

Flirting: Two revellers at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin flirt with each other as they walk with the procession

I’m only guessing, but I don’t think this guy liked me…

Anonymous: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin wears a V for Vendetta mask

Dog Day Afternoon: A reveller in a dog collar, mask and leather suit at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

Preening: A redhead enjoys the attention at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

(Transvision) Vamp: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

It’s only right that the Queen should be there…

The Queen: A reveller at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin

And this group dressed as the grandmothers from Russia’s Eurovision Song Contest 2012 were a big hit with the crowd.

Butch Babushki: A group of men at the Christopher Street Day Parade (CSD) in Berlin dressed as Russia’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2012

As I walked back to Potsdamer Platz to get the U-Bahn home, the clean up operation was already underway – just minutes after the tail end of the parade had passed through.

Berlin’s Gay Pride, The Christopher Street Day Parade is a colourful spectacle, pure theatre and above all good (but not all clean) fun.

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3 Responses to Christopher Street Day Parade 2012 – Berlin’s Gay Pride

  1. Haikugirl 25 June, 2012 at 11:23 #

    What fabulous photos! 🙂

  2. andreashesse 25 June, 2012 at 11:26 #

    “Berlin’s ‘anything goes’ atmosphere and lax drinking laws, combined with the German attitude to nudity, meant that there was a lot of flesh on display.”

    This is bringing the CSD atmosphere, the loveparade and so many other things with German parades to the point 😀 Great pictures!

  3. andBerlin 25 June, 2012 at 21:53 #

    Ali, Thank you! I think ‘Fabulous’ is a great way of summing up the parade actually!

    Andreas, Thank you too. There is this idea that Germans aren’t the fun-loving type but a visit to a parade in Berlin will quickly dispel that myth!

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