- Title: NETHERLANDS: ANNUAL GAY PARADE TAKES PLACE
- Date: 5th August 2001
- Summary: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS (AUGUST 4, 2001) (REUTERS) 1. SLV TWO SILVER DANCERS ON BOAT, COLOURED FLAGS GOING UP REPRESENTING THE RAINBOW A GAY AND LESBIAN SYMBOL 2. MALE AND FEMALE DANCERS ON BOAT 3. MEN WATCHING GAY PARADE COMING BY, PAN TO DANCERS ON BOAT 4. BOAT WITH DANCERS AND BALLOONS PASSING BRIDGE 5. MAN WITH BA
- Embargoed: 20th August 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Reuters ID: LVA52PX2O4FQA868XVPISAZNBNB5
- Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of people crowded out the canals
of Amsterdam to enjoy the extravagant and free-spirited annual
gay parade.
A total of 75 boats, hosting hundreds of celebrating
members of the gay community, floated in a colourful and noisy
convoy through the main canal of Amsterdam on Saturday, August
4, 2001.
Organised for the sixth time, and known as the Canal
Parade, this floating party event is the grand finale of a
four- day gay festival aimed to promote acceptance of
homosexuals.
Each boat represents a certain gay club, community or
sexual preference. While one boat was a colourful display of
camp-looking men dancing to the tunes of Diana Ross, on
another boat one could see chained men in leather strings
performing more intimate moves.
"It is a day of celebration, of being proud and happy
without being bothered," one participant said.
For the first time the parade also featured a boat from
Arab origin complete with belly dancers and waterpipe-smoking
men.
Although this year's costumes included the usual latex
strings, pink balloons and extravagant make-up, there was a
touch of constraint compared with previous years.
"I miss the naked women and naked boys. There are no
breasts, that is a pity," one spectator from Amsterdam said.
However, both spectators and participants still seemed to
enjoy themselves to the maximum, dancing and drinking as the
spectacular show drifted through the hart of the city.
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