U.S. Gay Service Members March in Germany Pride Parade

[William769]

With “don’t ask, don’t tell” slated for decommission come September 20, a group of active-duty U.S. service members stationed in Europe celebrated in advance over the weekend by marching in a German gay pride festival parade.

On Saturday, 13 service members, joined by some civilian supporters, participated in the CSD Mannheim 2011 parade, according to OutServe Germany chapter co-leader Capt. Carlos Coronado, who is stationed at Buechel Air Base. Their presence — perhaps the first American active-duty contingent to march in an overseas pride parade — follows a group of about 350 active-duty and veteran service members who participated in the San Diego pride parade last month.

“We watched that very closely,” Coronado told The Advocate of the San Diego event. “One of our girls saw her girlfriend participate in the pride march, so we were really excited about it and wanted to see if we could do it here as well.”

After the San Diego parade, held just days before President Barack Obama certified DADT repeal, Coronado said that he and fellow service members sought to participate in several European pride festivals, including the recent Amsterdam pride parade, which included an official entry of Dutch gay service members for the first time.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/08/15/Out_Service_Members_March_in_Germany_Pride_Parade/

[Vanje]

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