Heteros and teens join Dutch gay parade Posted on Saturday, August 04, 2007 (EST) Amsterdam reinforced its reputation as Europe's most open-minded capital Saturday when the annual gay parade passed along city canals with heterosexuals and young teenagers taking part. *People attend the yearly Gay Pride on the canals of Amsterdam (c) AFP Robin Utrecht*
AMSTERDAM (AFP) - More than 250,000 people attended the event, according to police, which featured 70 barges packed with colourful and dancing particpants. "The Gay Pride shows that everybody has the right to freely express themselves and at the same time it's a big, public party," said one Argentinian tourist, Hernan Campaniello, watching the parade. "Everybody is in the streets, people of all ages -- not only gays and lesbians," he said. One barge, carrying non-gays, declared: "We heterosexuals, we're proud too." It was followed a little way on by another vessel with some 40 teens under the age of 16 on board proclaiming their homosexuality, with their parents supporting them. Amsterdam's mayor had originally blocked the idea of a canal boat for 11 to 16 year-olds as too risky, but it was approved when Gay Pride organisers said it would be kept away from more "provocative" boats and that the youngsters would be joined by their parents, according to the ANP news agency. "Our aim is to make the Netherlands a tolerant country. For that, we need to encourage teens to come forward and to party themselves," approved one spectator, Birney Adamus. Despite the extravagance on display in the floating procession, however, some anxiety was present in the city's gay community following a series of homophobic attacks in recent months. "It's true we've been hearing 'dirty homo' bandied about and for some time I've felt less safe. Not only at night, but also during the day, I think twice before kissing my boyfriend in public," said one daringly dressed gay, Tjeered Hanstra. (c)AFP <http://news.sawf.org/afpcopyright.htm> -- www.gaybombay.in www.gaybombay.info
