The Pride Parade

By Maryanne - 27.09.2011

THE PRIDE PARADE

The gay pride parade has been an extension of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender). For many centuries the LGBT community has been oppressed and forced to stay in the closet by the heterosexual “straight people“ . Pride is a word that means self respect and worthiness, hence the gay community came up with the word to bring a sense of their achievements, their value, raise their self esteem, to fight the prejudice and the victimization in the society .

The community uses the rainbow flag which actually looks like a rainbow but with 6 colours although they differ based on tradition. It portrays the diversity of the people, these colours being red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), blue (harmony), and purple/violet (spirit) . This flag was made by a San Fransisco artist named Gilbert Baker in 1976.

Why do have the pride parade?

Well we all know the stone wall riots in America don’t we? Well the riots happened in June 1969 in New York´s Greenwich village. The fight was between the police and the gay people. The fight has been historically know as the Gay power fight riots and goes down in the history books. 40 years now the movement still goes strong, and the LGBT persons have better recognition than years before.

In Africa, South Africa is the only country that has held pride parade every October from 1990. All the other African countries don't condone the LGBT persons let alone the pride itself. Most constitutions have the phrase “Whoever is guilty of unnatural carnal knowledge— (a) of any person without his consent, is guilty”. The victimization never ends especially in African countries like Uganda where there was a private bill (Bahati bill) which was supposed to be passed in order for the minority groups to be killed or hanged. Meanwhile in Kenya the prime minister publicaly announced that all lesbians and gay persons should be arrested and jailed.

The countries' prominent leaders and the religious leaders, are among the people that incite other homophobic people. Hence the authorities that should be protecting the LGBT people are the ones using the same powers to harass the Innocent souls.

COPENHAGEN PRIDE PARADE

Call me ignorant but I have never seen the pride parade before. Of course, I am from Africa where such events have never happened. I have seen on other media channels like on the Internet, but that’s not enough. Seeing it happen and hopefully participating was better. Excited and anxious to see what happens, everyday from 17Th I was among the first ones to arrive. Did I mention that I was also there while the stage and tents were being set up?. On 17Th at 16.00 hours, at Rådhuspladsen (city hall), the first event started though there were not too many activities mostly the music by deejays. Every evening, things were pretty much the same except for the 19th, on Friday where there were events that spiced up the evening like Mr Gay 2011 , the ballet dance in which after the event dancers finished people were invited to dance the Cha Cha dance in which I learnt 2 or 3 steps, shall we dance...
On the 20th, which was a Saturday was the D-day. Many people came from various nationalities in different kinds of dress gathered in Frederiksberg Rådhus in readiness of the walk with pride. The routes were Frederiksberg Rådhus → Frederiksberg Bredegade → Allegade → Frederiksberg Runddel → Pile Alle → Vesterbrogade → Hammerichsgade → Jarmers Pl. → Rådhuspladsen. I was not left aside, armed with a rainbow flag we matched to support the LGBT community. Later there was lots of entertainment. Also people mingling, drinking, dancing, chanting, and how can we miss out the innovative part where people can really be innovative when it comes to dress codes, everyone wanted to stand out of the crowd. Next time maybe I should try to make a grass dress or something more out of this world. Anyhow, at around 10pm, the fire works filled the air to mark the last day of the parade which was a success. Later couples, singles, homosexuals, heterosexuals, went to various individual favorites spots, as for me my favorite spot at that point was the bed. On the 21st, people had been invited to attend Trinitatis Kirke (Rundetårn) in København.

Anonymous quotes
Africa will never fully accept homosexuality, the taboos and traditions are so many and they tie us down and there would be a pride parade in All African countries in maybe a 100 years to come or never.