Pride Barcelona: Mediterranean Pride

For the sixth year running, Barcelona is well into the preparations to welcome you to the most important LGBT pride festival in the Mediterranean – Pride Barcelona’14. The main celebrations will be on the weekend of the 27th, 28th and 29th of June , but entire festival includes a program that runs from the 19th to the 29th of June!

30 charitable associations, many local businesses and the entire LBGT community have again united to organise a new pride for the city – offering ten days of culture, sport, debate, entertainment and parties. Pride Barcelona is a major free not-for-profit event that both celebrates the best of the Catalan capital.

Spain is a shining example of LGBT Rights, and is already on the global map for pride celebrations in Madrid and Maspalomas – always reaffirming our open, respectful and tolerant character. Barcelona is now firmly placed on that map – growing bigger and better every year.

 

The rainbow flag in the City Hall's balcony

Mass LGBT Wedding in Toronto

More than 100 same-sex couples tied the knot at a mass gay wedding at Casa Loma in Toronto, Canada, on June 26.

The mass wedding was part of the World Pride festival running in Toronto this week, an event that promotes LGBT issues and is held every couple of years, with the 2012 World Pride held in London and the next celebration to occur in 2017 in Madrid.

Queer couples from around the world made history at Casa Loma in the biggest LGBTQ marriage ceremony ever held in North America.

Couples of all ages and backgrounds took part in Grand Pride Wedding at the century-old castle, including some from countries where gay marriage remains illegal, such as Ghana, Taiwan, and Australia.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005 and the country is one of only sixteen across the globe that has legalised gay marriage.

Albany Pride, the Capital Pride

Capital Pride in Albany is an annual, two-week long celebration of pride in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of the New York's Capital City.

This year’s Pride celebration has been bigger than ever, and there have been more than 10,000 participants celebrating the parade!

Breaking News: US Judges Strike Down Indiana and Utah Same-Sex Marriage Bans

A judge has struck down Indiana’s same-sex marriage ban, declaring it unconstitutional.

US District Judge Richard Young ruled that the Indiana Defence of Marriage Act, passed in 2004, violates the equal protection clause of the US Constitution.

Couples can begin to marry immediately, as the judge did not stay the ruling. Marion County Clerk Beth White will today begin to marry couples at the City-County Building in Downtown Indianapolis.

White said: “The clerk’s office will be open until at least 4:30p.m. this evening to issue licenses. I will also conduct short, civil ceremonies on a first-come, first-serve basis for a voluntary $50 contribution to the Indiana Youth Group".

Besides, an appeals court judge in the US has ruled that Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Utah’s same-sex marriage ban, and immediately put the ruling on hold, pending appeal.

“Having heard and carefully considered the argument of the litigants, we conclude that, consistent with the United States Constitution, the State of Utah may not do so (deny a citizen the benefit or protection of the laws of the State based solely upon the sex of the person that citizen chooses to marry)”, the court wrote.

More steps in the US for same-sex marriage

The Newly King and Queen of Spain Officially Received LGBT Groups for the First Time

The newly enthroned King and Queen of Spain have received representatives of the LGBT community for the first time.

Highlighting that the groups’ work “deserves to be better known and acknowledged,” King Felipe and Queen Letizia officially received representatives of Spain’s State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals and Bisexuals (SFLGTB), and the Triangle Foundation.

They were received at the El Pardo Palace yesterday, alongside representatives of 350 other NGOs and charities working on social issues.

Remember that Spain is the nation tops a list of 40 countries most accepting of homosexuality, according to a Pew Research Center's Global Views on Morality poll.

The Spanish monarchs with James Costos, 

US Ambassador in Spain, and his husband

SRS Gay Kiss

A funny SteamRoomStories.com video. 

Any time is good for kissing!

Please Disturb!

Please disturb... the new commercial of AXEL HOTELS for Berlin Pride 2014.

Obviously, this original campaing intended to increase Berlin Hotel's costumers but, if you have a bad night, at least you only need to search this signs on the other guests hotel room doors.

Of course, visitors can choose between the usual "Do not disturb" or the more risky "Please disturb". It's up to them.

Good idea!

Axel Hotel in Barcelona during last pride week

Marry Me in Seattle

Openly gay Seattle Mayor Ed Murray is set to kick-off a travel ad campaign and wedding sweepstakes July 1 to promote Seattle as a destination for marriage equality.

Murray Said: “It’s an honor to be part of this campaign and I look forward to officiating at the ceremonies for the lucky couples who win wedding trips to Seattle. I appreciate the work Visit Seattle is doing to bring more out-of-town LGBTQ visitors to Seattle and the new ‘Marry Me in Seattle’ campaign is a great example of that work”.

The campaign will be giving away four all-expenses-paid weddings to LGBT couples from out of state. Murray will officiate the first wedding on September 3.

Mayor Murray with his husband Michael Shiosaki