It shouldn’t be our sexual orientation that determines where to go on a trip, but it is equally true that the welcome determines the journey, and for this no other place in the world is like it Denmark, always among the most progressive countries in terms of rights: among the first to abolish the crime of homosexuality (1933), the first in which a sex change surgery was performed (1951), it is also the first country where a same-sex marriage was celebrated (1989) and among the few where – since 2012 – gay couples can marry in church.
All this happened to Copenhagen, “the most gay friendly city in the world” according to Lonely Planet, first of all because diversity is truly a value in the Danish capital everyone has always been free to do and love whoever they want: to walk down the street with a partner of the same without feeling observed, di being gay and adopting a child without running into prejudice and bureaucracy or to marry freely regardless of their orientation but also their nationality, so much so that even today LGBTI + couples from all over the world arrive in the city for the yes that changes their lives (just log on to the www.kk.dk platform, prepare your identity card and leave).
Alive, contemporary, free, Copenhagen also tells its identity by hosting some of the most eclectic LGBTI + cultural festivals. His MIX Copenhagen, for example, is the first LGBTI + film festival in the world, since 1996 it has always hosted Pride and then this year is preparing for the event of events: Copenhagen 2021, which includes WorldPride and EuroGames. From the 12 to 22 August, according to the motto of #YouAreIncluded, simultaneously with the Swedish city of Malmö, will be invaded by artistic, cultural and sporting events celebrating diversity and the world’s largest LGBTI + Human Rights Forum, which will involve politicians, activists, spectators who will be invited to make a concrete commitment by signing the Øresund declaration: the key legacy of Copenhagen 2021, a manifesto to end the global criminalization of LGBTI + people.
The themes of the manifesto will be the focus of the debates of Democracy Festival a Øksnehallen, former market and now an exhibition center opposite the headquarters of the Human Rights Conference. Meanwhile, among the many scheduled appointments, in the central Old Beach, the heart of Copenhagen full of shops and bars, will be the Fluid Festival with performances and parties to celebrate women and non-binary identities while Island Brygge, the eco-beach of the capital with swimming pools and clubs, will be transformed into Sports Village di EuroGames. In the meantime, every day you can participate in WorldPride Walks: group walks between the rainbow streets that make Copenhagen unique (the full program is at copenhagen2021.com/worldpride).
It is also with its colors, in fact, that Copenhagen shows to be an inclusive city: for example among containers greens and blues transformed into incredible student housing a Urban Rigger, or among the “yellow Nyboder” houses of Nyboder, which is the neighborhood of old shipyards not far from the iconic Little Mermaid (inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s unrequited love for Edvard Collin). And then there are the colorful houses of Christiania, the partially self-governed district where the Gay House is also located and again, among those of the Latin Quarter and in particular of Studiestræde, famous for hosting the very first gay bars, such as Centralhjørnet, and iconic addresses such as the lesbian bar la Vela.
But the truth is that you don’t have to look for them: all places in Copenhagen are gay friendly and now they do not label themselves, because they just are. Everywhere LGBTI + citizens and tourists are welcomed: whether it is a starred restaurant or a covered market, an art gallery or a bar, but also a hotel or a guesthouse. And the same, moreover, happens all over Denmark because the culture of inclusion and respect is part of the DNA of the Danes.
All this makes you free, even as travelers: free to be yourself, but also to decide where to go certain to always experience a perfect holiday feeling welcomed everywhere. As it should always be. In the gallery above some images of Copenhagen
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
