© Brigitte Dummer CSD in Berlin

Buddies and Bodies

Berlin is Germany’s gay-lesbian capital, today as much as “yesterday“! An example for open-mindedness and tolerance. It is certainly not coincidental that the sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld who is also responsible for emancipating sexual minorities, founded his scientific-humanitarian committee here in 1897 … In the 1920s there were already as many as around 40 known venues in Schöneberg! To this day the choice of bars, pubs, clubs and parties is unique.
Highlights on the agenda every year are gay pride – in Germany called CSD (Christopher Street Day) and Pride Week covering numerous events like the big street fair in and around Motzstraße. This year it is the 34th year for Berlin’s CSD. The gay-lesbian community and its guests from Germany and abroad show self confidence, also in their political demands, being the original reason for the demonstration. Events like Gay Night at the Zoo and CSD on the river Spree, lead up to the parade. In Kreuzberg, the Transgeniale CSD with its own parade and street fair is less commercial and thus is understood as an alternative to the mainstream event.
Berlin’s reputation as sexy metropolis meanwhile includes a lively scene with events for fetish specials. Save the date for the annual legendary Berlin Leather and Fetish Meeting at Easter culminating in the election of German Mr Leather. Berlin Leder und Fetisch e.V. organises the event. Later in the year fetish lovers meet at the 9th Folsom Europe, In October HustlaBall celebrates stars in the erotic scene.

2012 – save the date:

• April,4th-10th, Ostertreffen,blf.de
• June 16th-17th, Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest, regenbogenfonds.de
• June 20th, Gay Night at the Zoo,gay-night-at-the-zoo.de
• June 21st, CSD auf der Spree, prideweek-berlin.de
• June 23rd, Berliner CSD, csd-berlin.de
• June 23rd Transgenialer CSD, Kreuzberg, transgenialercsd
• September 8th, Folsom Europe,  folsom-europe.info
• October 19th, Hustlaball Berlin, 5-days party weekend, www.hustlaball.de
• October 24th-28th, Pornfilmfestival Berlin, pornfilmfestivalberlin.de