Between 500 000 and 700 000 (depending on the sources) people took part in the Paris Gay Pride last Saturday (it usually takes place on the last Saturday of June). Of course, it's primarily a political movement (this year's theme was "homophobia at school"), but it's also a very festive moment, full of music, colors and costumes. Needless to say it's a super occasion to take great photos (see here my little Animoto) . FYI, Homosexuality in France has been made legal since 1981 and same sex partners can sign a civil union contract pretty similar to a marriage except that it does not allow them to adopt children.
Purple,red, yellow and blue all wonderfully echoing thru the picture. Ilove the composition!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, and a wonderful blog you have here!
ReplyDeleteIn case you miss my reply to your comment on Petrea's blog, here it is again!
At one time I had heard that the most misunderstood lyric in rock music history is Hendrix' Purple Haze lyric that goes "excuse me while I kiss the sky", which people hear "excuse me while I kiss this guy".
So a blog titled The Sky is Big in Pasadena could easily be misheard as This guy's big in Pasadena. There's the double meaning.
Oh, yeah... I missed the green. Love the shot, Eric.
ReplyDeleteJust another thought -- when I watched the video I saw the 2 guys with what looked like Hebrew on their shirts (I don't read Hebrew) and am reminded of a really thought provoking documentary I saw (don't know if its out in Europe or under what name) called "Trembling Before God" about gay orthodox Jews. Worth seeing.
ReplyDeleteFirst: you changed yesterday's picture?! What happened?
ReplyDeleteI love the Gay Pride, I used to go there, it was always great, the atmosphere is relaxed, people are really fun and the fight is so important to defend.
I remember that the theme (homophobia at school) was the same few years ago, maybe in 2004.
Nowadays is so important to teach tolerance from school, and it's often in the schoolyard that you hear the most awful things, mirror of the parents' thoughts.
Your slideshow is really really nice Eric. I recognized two people I already saw there, it's funny (the red bride and the nun)!
The PACS is not only for gay people, straight people can sign it, but these latest can adopt, contrary to the homosexuals...
Great video, Eric. You are really mutli-task ! Loic http://brohardphotography.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteYes, Eric -- what happened? And, why? And what are we looking at???!! :D And, dare I say, woohoo! ;}
ReplyDeleteEric, a great photo. I like what this guy did to his hair, total commitment to the look and the event.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, I thought of the same film!
ReplyDeleteBoth this photo and those in the video really capture the colorfulness of the event. No kidding about the photo ops! And what a turnout -- That's huge.
By the way, are singles allowed to adopt children in France?
The slide show was great! It looked marvelous.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing of gay politics in France- is it illegal for them to adopt? Or is it that only married straight couples may adopt?
Hmmm...I just had a deja vu experience watching the animoto. I could have sworn I saw the "free hugs" people. And, was that Marie Antoinette, too? Elton? Why wouldn't they be at this colorful event? I would expect nothing less from the world's fashion capitol. May they get more than just bread this time around. "I feel pretty, oh so pretty...."
ReplyDeleteAs you said, David, the guy really committed to the event. Great shot of the rainbow colors.
ReplyDeleteI like the videos, but I always prefer looking at the photos in stillness so I can study them.
I had heard about the PACS because my neighbor, who is from southern France, told me she had once signed one with a male partner. I'm really proud that gay marriage is now legal in California. Don't know how long that will last, as some voters are trying to stop it.
Continuing a discussion from yesterday, HEY MICHAEL, I MISS YOU!
And what about Lynn? I MISS YOU, LYNN!
You changed yesterday's photo -- you sly devil you ;-) Are you trying to see if we are awake and paying attention? :)
ReplyDeleteNice Animoto -- I really like the song and the singer.
There was a parade here in San Francisco too. I went to it once, however, I'm not really a parade type of person so I left early.
Thank you Eric for showing up at the parade, and sharing your photos with us.
Grandma.....
ReplyDelete500,000 - 700,000 participants?! That's amazing!
ReplyDeleteSherry...I thought the same thing, but Eric does state "depending on the sources." Still I'm sure it was quite a turn out for such a gayla event.
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous photo!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, in San Francisco ...
ReplyDeleteSan Francisco had its Gay Pride Parade today, and over a million people were in attendance. It was colorful, fun, and ... crowded!
Very...colourful. Lol!
ReplyDeleteGreat capture, it must be so much fun to be in the middle of the parade with a camera!
A lot of the daily blogs have actually featured Gay Pride. It has beeen interesting to see the how the same event is depicted around the world. Always colourful and mainly peaceful. As it should be.
ReplyDeleteNot all the couples, whatever they are, do want to have children. But I think it must be a big lack for several homosexual couples not to be allowed to adopt children. Actually, if I had been in this situation, that would have caused to me a real problem. So I can understand the fight for more rights they are leading.
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced by the opponents of the legalization of adoption for same sex partners (but also not very versed into that matter, I confess).
Eric, how did you feel in this party?;)
I am feeling a bit far from all this frenzy and the video is pretty daring!!! But, that's fun!!
I read this morning that the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago had over 250 organizations participating and that the parade route was crowded with more than 400,000 viewers.
ReplyDeleteFirst a little about yesterdays post. Monsieur Eric you can't change hotos just like that... it's cheating...LOL... My comments only counts for the first photo, I liked that one better.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes where are you all hiding ? Michael,Lynn,Rose and others ???
It's good to see there's a lot of new people commenting - welcome !
Todays photo is great, but I really like the Animoto slideshow where you get a general impression of the parade.
Denmark were the first country in the world (in 1989) where gay couples could get a registered partnership as it's called here.
They can't adopt here either, but the gay community are doing a hard lobbying, and I only think it's a matter of time before it'll be legal.
Eric -- yet again, thanks for your great reportage of what's happenin' in Paris. We also had a gay parade here in NYC, of course, followed by a dance and fireworks. Unfortunately, it literally rained on their parade, but I'm sure that didn't dampen anyone's spirits!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Petrea! I'm here but have no computer at present so am locked outside of Paris DP, simply imagining what's going on - it's agony! lol i miss you too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great pic, Eric, happy and full of colour. I am surprised about the 1981- it seems only recent but then i've no idea about the UK, do you?
Ahhhhhh Lynn, I was very busy last week but it seemed to me that you were missing.
ReplyDeleteI hate to hear that you have currently no computer (I could not cope!) but I'm glad to hear you're OK.
How about this?
PS: I'll come back to the photo swap of yesterday ;). I can't right now...
ReplyDeleteLynnie! Good to see you! Of course it's nearly 9:00 in the morning and I have to go. But I'm glad you're online. We must do something about your computer problems. Perhaps, since Michael's not using his, he could just give it to you. ;)
ReplyDeleteA very good choice for the music associated to your video, Eric.
ReplyDeleteLynn, happy to see you again! I hope you'll find asap a solution... I am sure PDP misses you at least as much as you miss it.... See you soon here (hopefully)...
What a party! Looks like lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why same sex partners can't adopt?
San Francisco was a frenzy of Gay Pride activity and the crowd on Saturday night for "Pink Saturday" was larger and noisier than previous years.
ReplyDeleteI know the parade in Paris starts at Denfert-Rochereau, but where does it end?? Bastille?? Perhaps one year I will see the parade in Paris, until then I will count on Eric for an animoto montage! Merci! Excellent!
Hey it's great to be missed! By ER-IC too - special smile for you Eric :) see the difference? lol
ReplyDeleteYes it's a pain. Trouble is i didn't earn anything whilst being ill so the DELL option, as tempting as it looks, is out of the question for now. Ah well, i shall pop in when Charlie's not looking and i can borrow his pc for a min or two! He's out for a run, so i'd better scarper now or i'll be for it. lol! SSSHHHHhhh! Back soon as can. Wow it's quite exciting really, i'm on a mission, sneaking around my own house, so that i can connect with the other secret agents from Paree. he he. Yes my imagination's alive and well... :) xx
Notre Reine has some good news. Maybe she will let everyone know when she is ready...
ReplyDeleteGreat shot... I am sorry I missed it this year..
ReplyDeleteRegarding the topic of the gay, er day, here's a little known fact. In the U.S. San Francisco has the greatest number of gays per capita than any other city. What city is second? Minneapolis. Since I don't like parades of any kind, I did not go downtown on Saturday. I'm sure it was a visual event, if on a much smaller scale than Paris!
ReplyDelete> Ben. Yes, I actually missed your reply thank you for posting it twice;). You have to admit the double meaning was hard to catch - especially for a foreigner LOL!
ReplyDelete> Carrie [...]I saw the 2 guys with what looked like Hebrew on their shirts (I don't read Hebrew)[...] Well yes, they actually belong to a French gay movement (obviously!)
> Parisian heart "
By the way, are singles allowed to adopt children in France?" Yes, but not gay couples. Go figure!
> Jess "
By the way, are singles allowed to adopt children in France?" Only straight couple, married or not.
> Tonton, yes it ends at Bastille. But I was long gone by the time they arrived there!
Now, about yesterday's photo swap:
Guille "First: you changed yesterday's picture?! What happened?"
Carrie "Yes, Eric -- what happened? And, why? And what are we looking at???!! :D And, dare I say, woohoo! ;}"
Lois "You changed yesterday's photo -- you sly devil you ;-) Are you trying to see if we are awake and paying attention? :)"
I actually changed it - I think it's the first time I do that!" because I was not totally happy with the first one. Browsing my photos yesterday, I thought to myself: "this one is better".
But obviously you did not really like this move LOL. And in the end, I think you're right! Won't happen again ;))
Civil Unions (at least in the US) is NOT the same as marriage. It does not give the tax breaks of marriage, or the legal inheritance and insurance rights. It's crap, and I don't know why people stand for this bastardization of rights.
ReplyDeleteAnd gay couples, can't adopt in France? WTF??
Eric -- I may be alone here, but I didn't mind the photo swap -- and I think you chose well, I also like the second better than the first -- I think it just took us all by surprise.
ReplyDeleteJust don't switch them right away, and the GF will be happy (of course, there could be one GF for each photo, too)! Its all good.
I'm with Carrie, Eric ... It's okay with me that you switched the photo. I just wondered whether I was losing my mind! (Truth be told, I still wonder, but at least now, it is not on that account. ;) )
ReplyDeleteWow, it's cool..is it celebrated every year?
ReplyDelete