Saturday, July 21, 2012

Transgenialer Christopher Street Day: Alternative Pride in Berlin



June 23rd was Pride in Berlin and we celebrated! Berlin actually has two prides, one is Christopher Street Day, the main one, and then there is the Transgenialer Christopher Street Day, the alternative one. We decided to check out the alternative one and marched with them the whole way from Treptower Park to Heinrichplatz to a mix of techno, pop, Bikini Kill and the Butchies, which took several hours. There was a big group of us, including some visitors and a friend from my German class at Smith College who lives in Paris. We kept bumping into other people on the way.

So far I've been to Northampton, MA Pride many times, Brighton Pride in England and Long Island Pride in high school. Somehow I've never been to NYC Pride, which is silly, but will happen one day. Anyway, what is different about this pride is that it isn't commercial at all. A lot of the big prides seem to be mostly stuff like "Coca Cola!!....with rainbow flags...Mercedes!!....with rainbow flags, etc.". Here they blasted lots of music and occasionally gave speeches, which I actually didn't understand much of besides the "Bioladen Prenzlauerberg Bourgeoise", but oh well. We had fun, then we wandered around the street fest afterwards for awhile, took a short break to recharge and get coffee and warmer clothes (for me), then came back and danced in the street until they shut everything down at midnight. Except for a mishap where I was gay bashed by a thorn bush in Görlitzer Park (maybe it wasn't the best place I've ever decided to pee...), it was a fabulous day.

I think the entirety of Berlin was covered in glitter. Did I mention my new obsession with glitter? One day I spent 22 EUR on Claire's just on different types of glitter. It's an addiction.

Pictures!

 

Ready to go!


Pride is clearly the time for ridiculous outfits. Some creepy guy asked me out for coffee on the way to my friend's flat, it went something like, "Du siehst so chic aus, lassen uns eine Kaffee trinken, ich wohn einfach um die Ecke!". Possibly the most inopportune time to hit on me, a lesbian, on the way to PRIDE in a ridiculous colorful outfit, wearing huge rainbow feather earrings, covered in glitter. Someone missed the memo about what day it was. Sorry dude, wrong team.


We'resoexcited!


Still excited.


Note the fantastic headband and pure unadultered excitement.


Yay gay! Unicorns! Rainbows!


If you join our group, you will get covered in glitter. Just a warning.


Happy!


I'm not sure what I'm doing here, but I like it.


"Homophobia fuck you in the knee!" Indeed!


This is the moment we got tired and tried to fix it. Being excited for so long will do that to you.


Please note the rainbow feather earrings, thank you.

Street fest! Lots of people!

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