Pride in Many Forms

Saturday’s bright sunshine and blue skies created the beautiful setting for Stockholm’s rainbow-colored Gay Pride Parade yesterday.  Started in 1998, this event has grown to become one of Stockholm’s (and Scandinavia’s) largest annual festivals.  It is estimated that 500,000 people lined the streets to watch energized parade marchers dance, sing, sometimes flaunt, but mostly stand with pride and in solidarity with one another.

In 2009, Sweden adopted a gender-neutral law on marriage.  Unlike predictions of the “downfall of western culture as we know it” which emanates from some quarters of our US homeland, Swedish society remains orderly and well adjusted.  We have also become familiar with the term “sambo” in which couples enter into committed relationships, some with children, without acquiring a marriage license.  Suffice it to say, the culture is different here.

Many marching in the parade, however, were keen to highlight that the freedoms of personal choice they have achieved are not universally accessible. 

The wedding dress-clad woman on a huge motorcycle carrying a “To Russia with Love” sign was playful, but poignant.   More to the point were marchers with black tape across their mouths carrying a banner reading, “Marching for those who can’t.” Their march supported many whose sexual orientation continues to this day to hold their lives in precarious jeopardy.  The bearded “iman” with the hangman’s noose wrapped around a women’s neck with a waist banner that read only “Iran” told a complete picture.

 

There was also complete gaiety (pun intended).  Music boomed from parade vehicles and people danced with abandon.  Rainbow clad parents pushed baby carriages and parents of gay children were not far behind.

Of course, no Gay Pride Parade is complete without its spectacles.  Brightly colored hair, guys in drag, outlandish costumes, body painted, glitter-enhanced bodies, high heels and thought provoking banners, “Make Love Not CO2” all comingled with ease and continuity.

Gay Rights are Human Rights

Other groups with banners included “Gay Doctors”, “GayPoliser (police)”, “Kyrkan på Pride (Church with Pride)” and “GayScouterna (Scouts)”.  American pride swelled for us as representatives from our U.S. Embassy marched past with a banner reading, “Gay Rights are Human Rights.”

As we said, things are different here.

We have included a short two-minute video of the day’s events.  Enjoy.