Thousands danced in the streets of the Romanian capital as a mass demonstration organized by the governing Social Democratic Party was held just a stone's throw away. In the end, it was a joyful celebration of diversity.
Image: DW/Cristian Ștefănescu
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On Sunday, some 10,000 people took part in the 14th annual gay and lesbian "Bucharest Pride" parade – a record for the Romanian event. And there was special reason to celebrate this year: Earlier this week, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) handed down a precedent-setting decision for same-sex couples: The EU's highest court declared that a gay US-Romanian couple had the same residency rights within the EU as any other married couple.
The wheels of justice in Romania have been grinding slowly for the last six years as Romanian Adrian Coman and his US husband Claibourn Robert Hamilton have fought for the right to legally reside in the country as a same-sex couple. Coman and Hamilton married in Belgium in 2010 and now they have finally won their battle.
The 'heroes' of the parade: Adrian Coman and Claibourn Robert HamiltonImage: DW/Cristian Ștefănescu
The wheels of justice
In its landmark case, the ECJ declared that EU member states could not deny residency to the same-sex spouses of citizens. Although the court found that EU member states were free to decide whether or not to recognize the validity of a couple's same-sex marriage, it said that determination must not affect right of residency.
Coman and Hamilton were undoubtedly the stars of this year's parade. It seemed every onlooker wanted to take selfies with the "heroes," who were asked to recount their arduous legal battle again and again. "We really had the right to be here in 2012, when we demanded the government recognize us as a same-sex couple. But now we are officially in Bucharest as a married couple," as Coman told DW in a quiet moment on the sidelines of the march.
The parade went through the center of the cityImage: DW/Cristian Ștefănescu
A small piece of normalcy
Several rows of police stood guard along the parade route on Bucharest's magnificent boulevard, Calea Victoriei. Just a few hundred meters (yards) away, a mass demonstration, organized by the ruling Social Democratic Party and its supporters, had just gotten underway in protest to the supposed overreach of the Romanian justice system and the creation of a so-called "parallel state."
Although last year's pride parade was held in a park, away from the homophobe majority of Romanian citizens, this year's event saw participants proudly walking through the center of town and ultimately holding a final celebration at University Square. Sociologist Mihaela Biolan says that is real progress: "Society is more accepting than it was 10 years ago, and more than last year. It is an exponential process," as she told DW. The number of people who now actively support such diversity has also grown. "We wholeheartedly thank those who continue to be bitterly opposed to the idea. They have only created more supporters for us," adds the sociologist.
Biolan, Brummell and Meier-Klodt (l. to r. at front) opened the paradeImage: DW/Cristian Ștefănescu
Tolerance and diversity
"Diversity among people is a treasure for every society," explains the United Kingdom's ambassador in Bucharest, Paul Brummell. He had the privilege of opening this year's pride parade alongside Angela Cristea, head of the European Commission's representation in Romania and German Ambassador Cord Meier-Klodt. Speaking with DW, Meier-Klodt emphasized that the march was not against the rights or interests of others but rather for the rights of all. For tolerance, diversity and European rights. "People have different life models. By respecting the rights of minority groups, we respect our own rights, the rights of every citizen," says the German diplomat.
"Some people belong to different sexual communities," emphasizes Social Democratic parliamentarian Petre-Florin Manole. But one must not forget that those people are still citizens and have the same rights as others. Unlike the rest of his party, the young parliamentarian recently spoke out against holding a referendum on banning same-sex marriage in Romania. Manole is convinced that Romania's parliament will pass a law legalizing civil partnerships for same-sex couples before upcoming European elections in 2019. Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.
One photographer and 200 naked men fighting for diversity
Romanian photographer Tiberiu Capudean captured black and white portraits of more than 200 naked gay men. By telling their stories, he is taking a stance against homophobia, racism and body shaming.
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
Y. - Tailor, French
"My father was born between the two World Wars. I never told him about my sexuality. I never told my mother, either. I studied medicine. After graduation I fell in love with a man ... my family thought that he was my best friend. Unfortunately, he died 16 years later. I work as a tailor now. I'm happy that nowadays in France men can marry other men. I think it should have been possible long ago."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
J. - Shop Attendant, Spanish
"I grew up in a Spanish village. I was bullied a lot in school. When I was about 13, an older boy approached me while I was sitting on my bench, reading. He told me 'You're filthy!' And the next thing you know, he poured a bottle of chocolate milk on me. I was shocked. I just stood there, all wet, while the ones around me laughed and looked at me as if I had been a monster."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
S. - IT Project Manager and Massage Therapist, German
"It was much harder for me to deal with my father's reaction. He started to yell at me, making it clear that I, as his son, would always be welcome, but my boyfriend wouldn't be allowed in the house. I could not breathe. I cried ... I stopped contacting him for eight years, and later, thanks to his wife, except for my first boyfriend, all my boyfriends would join me for visits."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
A. - Fashion Designer, Spanish
"I am not invisible. Or am I? I work in a very 'machista' environment. And even though nobody bullies me personally, I see what happens to the younger, more effeminate gay guys I work with. What does 'masculine' mean? Do we all have to be young and strong? Do we all have to be muscular? Are we just an object of desire?"
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
D. - IT Manager, Belgian
"When I was living at home with my parents, I worked night shifts at the local bakery. Three days after I had come out to my parents, I drove back home and went to sleep in the early morning. My mother walked into my room all freaked out and asked 'Who did you tell you're that way?' Somebody had written the word 'homo' on the hood of my car ... I took it as a badge of honor."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
M. - Rugby Player, Spanish
"When people discover I am bisexual, a common reaction is to tell me how lucky I am, because I have a whole world of possibilities to choose from. However, reality is quite different and being bisexual has often been an obstacle for a relationship. Frequently, I am questioned when was the last time I was with a girl, as if I had to prove that I am still what I am."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
D. - Actor, Dancer and Director, Romanian
"I was in a supermarket with my boyfriend. We were going to the movies, so we bought two bottles of water, some snacks and a chocolate. And we were queuing, waiting to pay. Suddenly, behind me I hear: 'Gay, Gay!' I could have told him lots of things. But I kept my calm, since this type of behavior often leads to violence.
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
S. - Illustrator, Spanish
"One night, I was in a park in Coruna, talking to a friend. Suddenly, seven hooded guys surrounded us, started to beat us up and call us 'faggots.' We fought back, but during the quarrel, one of the guys stabbed me in the back twice."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
D. - Sales Manager, Italian
"I’ve always been a 'fatty.' I became hairy at 14. Kids at school would often make fun of me. Growing up in a small Italian town, I never declared my sexual orientation. At 30, I left Italy to live in France, in the perspective of a better gay life. One day I had a sort of crisis and I waxed my entire body. I was so sad. Today I try to accept myself and be happy with the body I have."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
C. - Shop Supervisor, Spanish
"I went to the movies with my sisters, mother and aunt to see '50 Shades of Gray'. When the movie ended, two girls between 20 and 25 years called me 'faggot' out of the blue ... I didn't think that people still do that in 2018. Especially young people. My younger sister confronted them. A young straight couple also told them off and threatened to call the police. The girls ran away."
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
S. - Actor, French
"Abroad. Eastern Europe. I was staying in a very old woman's apartment, in a poor faded tower of a grey suburb. She invited her grandson for me to meet. We drank vodka. Lots of vodka, directly from the bottle. He started to talk about what a family is and should be. 'Faggots. They all should die.' What do I think about that? 'I don’t know,' I said (lying). 'I never really thought about them'"
Image: Tiberiu Capudean
Tiberiu Capudean, Romanian photographer and LGBT activist
"The fact that the men are naked in these pictures is the least important aspect. My aim was to show that diversity is something normal, whether it comes to sexual orientation, body shape, age or race."
