This has been my motto for many years now, ever since meeting some of my best friends from Cortland and joining the notoriously homosexual rugby team. Not Gay, But Supportive. Quick, someone get me a rainbow t-shirt!
Well this past weekend, I went to show some support for my euro-gays in memory of my Cortland Gays at Madrid's annual
Orgullo!
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| true proud to be gay spaniard and a small fan |
The street Gran via was closed off to traffic and instead the streets were overtook by pedestrian traffic along with small flowing creeks of beer and sangria and not sure what other liquids. There were groups of people in every corner, together drinking, laughing, dancing and enjoying "las fiestas gais"
The parade started around 6, but this was mainly a manifestación, or rather a gay rights activists marching around in support.
The interesting thing to me about this was, there were no "anti gay" groups in sight. In the US any time there is an event like this that deals with such sensitive political issues, there are always people there to protest, to show their disapproval, but not here. Here people were peaceful, supportive, celebratory, and there to party.
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| these sailors get a birds eye view of the parade |
Around 9pm the real orgullo started to roll in around metro Gran Via. Trucks and busses filled with proud people celebrating, waving rainbow flags, taking pictures, and living life.
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| a favorite of orgullo |
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| like a bunch of big teddy bears, or "osos" as they prefer |
The parade lasted way into the night, but I didn't. After a goodbye lunch with my coworkers and a graduation party the night before, I could only be supportive until about 10 pm when my legs gave out and the dirty puddles on gran via began to annoy this soggy supporter.
Also, it was getting difficult to dodge the people throwing water from the balconies to the crowd below. And I'm not about getting caught in the rain, nor caught in a bucket of cold water being thrown from a balcony.
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ready aim fire! water bombs away!
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| even mcdonalds supports |
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