Rome, sitting in the shadow of Vatican City, hosts one of the largest LGBT pride celebrations in the world. Every June, the month that commemorates the famous 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City that paved the way for greater openness to gay people, Rome Gay Pride welcomes nearly 1 million people.
LGBT rights awareness
The Rome Gay Pride Parade is a mix of fun and gay parties along with a more serious schedule. Within Rome, the city within a city, the Vatican, is a stone’s throw away from the pride festivities. Since Pope Francis assumed the papal throne in 2013, the Catholic Church has taken a stance to be more tolerant of gays and lesbians, although public displays of same-sex affection are frowned upon in Vatican City.
Never mind, nearly 1 million people rally to celebrate gay pride in June, still with the intention of destroying the Roman Catholic stance on same-sex marriage and LBGT equality.
Parties and events
A series of concerts, dance events, endurance competitions, sporting and cultural events take place throughout the city for a full week. There is a giant parade that traditionally begins in Piazza della Republica, passes in front of the Colosseum and ends in Piazza Venezia. Pride Park, usually at Città dell’Altra Economia in Testaccio, hosts conferences, films, and cultural events.
Night life
There are no gay neighborhoods in Rome, but a popular spot for the gay and lesbian community at night is the street in front of the two cafe-bars Coming Out and My Bar, Via di San Giovanni in Laterano , informally nicknamed the Gay Street of Rome or «La Movida». The area is jumping especially during hot summer nights.
As everywhere in Italy, a membership card is required for all gay cruise bars and saunas, usually the Anddos card. ANDDOS, in Italian, is an acronym that stands for “National Association against Discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation.” The organization is a non-profit organization that helps keep Italy safe and supports the LGBT community.
In Rome, that card is also required for some of the gay parties. You can usually purchase an Anddos card at the entrance of places that require the card. It costs around $ 15 and is valid for 1 year. When you purchase the card, you must show your photo ID. After that, you only need the membership card.
Story
You might think that Rome, a city dating back over 2,700 years, has seen it all. In 2000, Rome had Italy’s first gay mega-gathering (that historians know): World Pride Rome 2000, a week-long festival that drew gay activists from some 40 countries. Police estimated there were 70,000 protesters, mostly Italians. They walked peacefully from the Pyramid of Cestius past the Colosseum and meeting at the Circus Maximus for a nightly rally.
In 2011, Europride hosted the annual Rome pride festivities, achieving record attendance numbers, including a speech and performance by American megastar Lady Gaga. Europride selects a different European location to be the host city each year.
Rome has consistently achieved more rights for the LGBT community. In 2016, a civil unions law was passed, granting same-sex couples many of the marriage rights.
