🏳️‍🌈 In the latest episode of the Queer Story podcast, Phenix and Meili examine the origins and evolution of Christopher Street Day, accompanied by personal anecdotes and interviews with experts. They shed light on the political roots and current challenges of the movement.

In conversation: CSD co-founder Bernd Gaiser, Monique King and drag queen Vava Vilde

Queer Story is a production of BosePark Productions from Berlin. We have also translated this podcast into other languages with the help of artificial intelligence so that you can listen to it in your native language.

🇹🇷 Queer Story in turkish - Queer Hikayesi - link to Spotify 🇹🇷

🇷🇺 Queer Story in russian - История “Квир” - link to Spotify 🇷🇺

🇩🇪 Queer Story in german - queer story - link to Spotify 🇩🇪

🪩 Chapter

00:00:00 Queer History in Germany Introduction

00:02:07 Stonewall's Influence on CSD

00:04:12 Early Queer Activism

00:06:25 Stonewall Riots and Their Impact

00:08:50 First CSD Organizers Speak

00:11:06 Queer Rights in Public View

00:13:05 CSD's Role in Visibility

00:15:10 Organizing the First German CSD

00:17:08 Challenges of Modern CSD

00:19:12 CSD After Berlin Wall Fall

00:21:17 Critiques of CSD Commercialization

00:23:59 CSD's Importance Today

00:26:13 Discrimination in Modern Times

00:28:17 Virtual CSD Experiences

00:30:11 Future of CSD and Activism

📔 Summary of this episode

In the latest episode of the "queer story" podcast, Phenix and Meili shed light on the roots and ongoing relevance of Christopher Street Day (CSD), also known as Pride. Under the title "The German Stonewall - The History of CSD in Germany", we invite you to take a comprehensive look at this central event of the LGBTQ+ community. We will explore how CSD emerged from the Stonewall riots of 1969 and how it has developed over the years, both in Germany and internationally.

The episode begins on a personal note, with Phenix and Meili sharing their own experiences and the meaning of CSD. Phenix talks about her carefully planned outfits and a self-sewn rainbow cape, while Meili describes her first encounter with CSD as a child, an experience that left a deep impression on her. Through interviews with contemporary witnesses and experts such as Bernd Gaiser, one of the co-founders of the first German CSD, and Vava Vilde, a well-known drag queen, we provide insights into the beginnings and development of the movement. We shed light not only on the joyful aspects of the parades, but also on the political struggles underlying the celebrations.

A particular focus is on the transformation of the CSD from a pure demonstration to an event that is also attracting critical voices due to its increasing commercialisation. Phenix and Meili discuss controversial topics such as the inclusivity of CSD, the representation of transgender people, lesbians and queer people of colour as well as the need to maintain the political significance of CSD.

Finally, Phenix and Meili reflect on the future of CSD and emphasize the need to preserve the original political intentions while being a celebration of the freedoms achieved and the diversity of the queer community. We also invite you to actively participate in shaping a more inclusive and equitable CSD.

🎙️About

Queer Story is a production of BosePark Productions from Berlin. This podcast was translated with the help of artificial intelligence so that you can listen to the episode in your native language. We originally recorded it in 2021, then only in German. We really wanted to try out the possibility of speaking with our voices in your language. So bear with us if we still have an awkward way of speaking sometimes. We are very interested to hear what you think. If you have any comments or questions, please write to us at [email protected] 

🏳️‍🌈 BosePark Productions GmbH 2024 

www.bosepark.com