Bogota Event a True Experience of Gay Pride

Welcome to the new readers and the return followers of the Vamos Colombia Tour blog!

I must tell you that I was amazed, impressed and very proud of the work that my fellow Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) friends are doing in Bogota, Colombia.

AL ROSA VIVO

Bogota, Colombia hosted a great Gay Pride celebration in June, 2009.

The theme of the Pride parade was: “Discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity is not a game. We come from a family and we are a family.”

The public events took place over a period of several days, culminating in the Sunday Pride Parade (June 28, 2009).

I also was able to attend several events such as:

The Supervisor of Chapinero (the LGBT neighborhood in Bogota) is Blanca Ines Duran (pictured here with Walter Rey). She is an out and proud lesbian who is organizing our community at different levels. She has been in this position for a year and she presented her report to the community in a very creative way. She used one of the biggest gay club of Bogota, which was previously a theater, and presented a true multi-media presentation: a mix of video and live theater to present her report.

The place was packed and she informed us of the several campaigns for the Chapinero area, ranging from the reduction of noise, the campaign against parking violation, to education of the community and police on respect and behavior toward LGBT people. She also clearly made a point of including everyone, gay men, lesbians, transgender, and straight – noting that we all are working together for a better world. From what I have seen, she is doing a great job!

The Chapinero area also had a big stage in the center of he district, at a well known public park called “the park of the Hippies.” They presented shows during the three nights prior to the parade.

Some of them were informative, educational or just fun. They had a runway show were 8 designers were participating for best design outfits for the transsexual community. The outfits looked great at the fashion show (as did the transgendered models). They had a DJ contest, as well as the participation of several groups such as the gay radio station of Bogota, which can be accessed through the internet.

http://www.eledenradio.net/

The parade itself went down the principle boulevard of Seventh Avenue (Carrera Septima) for about 30 blocks. (From Parque Nacional to Plaza Bolivar in the Candelaria district). At the end in the heart of the histric old city and downtown there was another big stage was welcoming all to celebrate.

There were several floats and a great turn out of people. We all marched with pride. What it was different at this pride event from others in the world is the energy of the people. Having been to several gay pride parades in the world (including such welcoming places as San Francisco, New York, Sydney and Vancouver), I can say that I had never seem such strong energy and pride among the participants. I was very happy to be a part of it and by my presence add a little grain to it.

Still it is interesting that most of the people on the parade were young as many of the over-40 community were out of the city for the long weekend holiday (which coincided with the event) or just were not comfortable in the public environment.

The closet doors are heavy but slowly opening. I believe that is why is so important that everyone who is able (that means you!) can join us in future parades. Just being present sends an important message to the LGBT community and the city and country of Colombia and a whole. The mainstream press is starting to get the message and change is swiftly on the move in Colombia!

Vamos Colombia Tour continues to promote Colombia as a Gay and Lesbian travel destination and we would like you to join us. Currently we are preparing the 2010 calendar – it is sure to include nest year’s gay pride. If you would like a change from your local gay pride celebration, or perhaps would like to experience gay pride in a location where it is truly making a difference, then join us!

More pictures can also be found at:

http://vamoscolombiatour.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-pictures-from-bogota-gay-pride.html

and

http://vamoscolombiatour.blogspot.com/2009/07/bogota-gay-pride-parade-2009-exceeds.html

Colombia and Bogota are the new kids on the block in gay travel. Find out why everyone who goes has an unforgettable time!

Walter Rey
Vamos Colombia Tour
check us out on the web: www.VamosColombiaTour.com

Bogota Gay Pride Parade 2009 Exceeds All Expectations!

The Gay Pride Parade (in Bogota, Colombia) that marched down the heart of the downtown of the city, 7th Avenue, and ended in the Plaza Mayor, the seat of government of the city and the country, exceeded all expectations as a political, cultural and social event in the fast-changing cosmopolitan city of Bogota.

Floats from LGBT rights organizations, as well as clubs and other businesses the cater to the gay community spread the word of gay pride to the onlookers from all walks of life - gay, lesbian, straight, questioning or just plan curious. All classes of persons mixed in the fun in the peaceful march which became a party as the music energized the mostly younger crowd which sang and chanted in unison as the parade made its way through the wide boulevard that became a smaller street in the more historic downtown. Traffic was stopped for quite a while as the crowd overflowed into other lanes and streets. At the end, a rally sent the message of the right to safety, protection and to live proudly as members of the LGBT community as the institutions of Colombia society, the capital, the Supreme Court, and the Cathedral, stood around, as if a natural part of the scene.

Surely this was the largest gay pride event in Colombian history, and one of the largest in Latin America as well. The Colombian LGBT community has much to be proud about as the Supreme Court in this past year has recognized same sex relationships as worthy of the same rights as those of opposite-gender ones. Gay people have achieved much attention in recent years in Colombian life and society, although the local paper reported the next day that there had been threats as well. No violence was in evidence, although many revelers did not linger in the main plaza (or did not attend the rally altogether) perhaps due to the unusual nature of having a gay pride event in front of the seat of power of the country. Colombia is a historically conservative and traditional country. Clearly, things are changing - how fast remains to be scene, but the combination of recent legal developments, combined with one of the best and largest gay pride events on the continent certainly puts Colombia well on the map of LGBT life!

Fore more information about travel to Colombia, check our our website,
www.VamosColombiaTour.com

Gay Pride Events in Bogota, Colombia 2009

The city government of Bogota, Colombia, and in particular the district of Chapinero (which even was previously dubbed "Chapi-gay" for the large LGBT population there) sponsored a super-impressive fair and group of events which took place in a public park in the heart of the district during the week leading up to the gay pride parade at the end of June, 2009.





















The Alcadeza (district leader) for Chapinero, Blanca Inez Duran H., with Walter Rey of Vamos Colombia Tour, celebrating gay pride in Bogota, Colombia, 2009:

Partner of gay policeman in Bogota, Colombia, receives health benefits

The partner of a gay policeman in Colombia was recently granted access to health benefits (May, 2009)

Fabián Mafuricio Chibcha Romero became the first same-sex partner of a policeman to receive benefits from the police service since Colombia's Constitutional Court granted equal civil, political, social and economic rights to gay couples in January, 2009.

Chibcha Romero's partner, a 28 year old policeman who prefers not to be named, has served in the police force for 8 years. The couple first applied for health benefits, for which the partners of heterosexual policemen are eligible, on January 11. Their application was denied. They applied again in February, following the Constitutional Court's ruling and were accepted.

Chibcha Romero officially became a beneficiary on March 17 and became the first same-sex partner of a Colombian policeman to receive health benefits on April 28. Police did not officially confirm the case until Thursday.

Chibcha Romero told El Tiempo that his eligibility for benefits was confusing to those who attended him. "It was funny because the doctor and others did not understand who was the partner and who was the beneficiary. A lot of them asked me if I were the policeman," he said.

The couple, originally from Boyacá, met on the internet three years ago. In September 30 last year, after having lived together for two years, they decided to formalize their relationship. As same-sex marriage is not legal in Colombia, they signed a de facto marital union certificate.

The National Police Directorate told El Tiempo Thursday that they granted the couple the benefits because they "respect, obey and comply with the rulings of the courts."

The couple plan to make the most of other benefits afforded to the partners' of police officers. "We plan to go to the Police Club in Honda (Tolima) and when he [the policeman] has time to apply, maybe the housing allowance too," said Chibcha Romero.