- Title: ITALY: WORLD GAY PRIDE CONCERT STARS GERI HALIWELL AND GRACE JONES
- Date: 8th July 2000
- Summary: TOR DI VALLE, NEAR ROME, ITALY (JULY 8-9 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)(PERFORMANCE CLEARANCE FOR RESALE) VARIOUS SHOTS OF DANCERS, STILTWALKERS AND FIREEATERS PERFORMING ON STAGE WITH SINGER. (6 SHOTS) CUTAWAY AUDIENCE WIDE OF GERI HALIWELL ARRIVING ON STAGE ON WHITE HORSE AS SHE PERFORMS "LIFT ME UP" CLOSE UP OF DRAG QUEEN IN AUDIENCE VARIOUS, HALIWELL PERFORMING "LIFT ME
- Embargoed: 23rd July 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TOR DI VALLE, NEAR ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVABNTVDVIKX5ZM3UKY8IUDVOZGX
- Story Text: British pop sensation Geri Haliwell topped the bill at the World Gay Pride concert in Rome with a typically flamboyant performance. The concert, which also starred Grace Jones and Marc Almond was the high point in a series of events to mark World Gay Pride, and provoked a strong reaction from the Catholic Church.
The former Spice Girl headed a line-up of gay icons for the concert in support of World Gay Pride this weekend.
Thousands were treated to spectacular performances into the early hours of Sunday morning (July 9) near the Italian capital.
The World Gay Pride festivities - which included a march attended by 70,000 people - drew strong condemnation from Pope John Paul who called the gay rights events an offence to Christian values in his weekly address on Sunday (July 9).
Haliwell was brought onto the stage on a white stallion to rapturous applause. She began her set in a demure white wedding gown, before stripping down to her bra in true Haliwell style to perform with a man dressed up as the Pope.
Not to be outdone, outrageous American singer Grace Jones showed her star quality by performing wearing a giant five-pointed white outfit.
Marc Almond - the lead singer for 80s group Soft Cell - clearly enjoyed his performance as much as the audience did, frolicking with a backing dancer.
The concert was attended by about 5,000 people at a stadium on the outskirts of Rome and followed the World Gay Pride March, which enjoys strong support from the heterosexual community.
On Sunday 80-year-old Pope John Paul, speaking to tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists in St Peters Square, said that the Church considered homosexuality "objectively disordered".
He said "In the name of the Church of Rome, I must express sadness for the affront to the Great Jubilee of the year 2000 and the offence to Christian values of a city that is so dear to the heart of Catholics of the whole world."
He went on the state that the Church could not keep quiet about the truth and had a duty to distinguish between good and evil. He then read out part of the entry from the Churchs Catechism on homosexuality, which calls it objectively disordered but also says that homosexuals should be treated with compassion, respect and should not suffer unjust discrimination.
The gay pride events, which began on July 1 and ended at the weekend, coincided with several jubilee events, including a special visit to Rome by tens of thousands of the Popes Polish compatriots. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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