Celebrating pride in Germany

On the 24th of July, 2021, in Berlin, CSD (Christopher Street Day) will be celebrated again after the cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic. Read on to know more about pride initiatives in Germany.

What is Christopher Street Day?

Christopher Street Day (CSD) is an annual European LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Queers, Intersexual, Asexual) celebration and demonstration held in various cities across Europe for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people and against discrimination. It is Germany's version of the Gay Pride or Pride Parades. 

Each year, there are more than 60 CSD celebrations all around Germany during the summertime. The CSD celebrations in Berlin and in Cologne are the largest in Germany, attracting an average of 1 million people annually. 

History of Christopher Street Day in Germany

Christoph Street Day (CSD) is held in memory of the well-known Stone Riots, the first big uprising of LGBT people against police assaults at the Stonewall Inn, a bar in Manhattan, New York's Christoph Street, on June 28, 1969. 

In 1979, the very first CSD in Germany happened in Berlin. Bernd Gaiser, a longtime rights activist, founded the first Berlin CSD celebration that year with around 500 participants.

Even though CSD shifted from demonstrative to a more celebrative event over the years, the CSD celebration remains political. Every year, CSD features an important claim. In 2021, the main motto in Berlin CSD is "Save Our Community. Save Your Pride." 

On top of LGBTQIA+ rights, participants usually raise issues related to human rights or other topics affecting all human beings. 

Is it safe to live as an LGBTQIA+ person in Germany? 

Germany has often been seen as one of the most LGBT+ friendly countries in the world. Many expats even move to cities like Berlin and Cologne, as they are known as one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in the world. 

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2013 revealed that 87% of Germans believed that homosexuality should be accepted by society, which was the second-highest score following Spain (88%) among 39 countries polled. According to Spartacus Gay Travel Index, in 2021, Germany has ranked 10th in the world as one of the safest countries to where LGBT+ people can travel. However, in a recent study from Rainbow Europe ranking European countries on how LGBT friendly they are, Germany came in as 16th out of 49 countries. The main reason holding Germany back is the incidents of discrimination and hate speech. 

Even though Germany is in the leading countries of LGBTQIA+ rights, in an interview from DW (Deutsche Welle), interviewers expressed that there is still space to improve, and people should keep raising this issue and aim for better policies. 

Overall, it is pretty safe for an LGBTQIA+ person to live in Germany, but some improvements still need to be made. If you are interested in what are the top LGBT-friendly cities in Germany, check it out here. 

CSD 2021

Do you want to join the CSD celebration in Germany this summer? We have found a CSD calendar for you. Check out here and join the CSD celebration near to you! 

If you happen to be in Berlin on the 24th of July, check their main page for the CSD route and remember to follow the covid-19 measures! 

We believe that everyone should have the right to love who they love without discrimination. Expatrio wishes you a happy CSD! 😊🌈