Gay Pride in Rome; getting soaked and dancing under the Coliseum

On a Friday I went to explore the couple of bars in the shadow of the Coliseum. There I began a conversation with a couple travelling from the states. The conversation turned to the gay pride parade that they mentioned was happening the very next day in Rome. “What gay pride parade?” I asked, the couple looked at me like I was from another planet, laughed and noted the many posters all over town of two men kissing. My face turned a little red from missing such an obvious sign, I guess I had gotten into the habit of not even bothering to look at the Italian signs all over town since I could not read them anyway. I was very glad to hear that I had not missed such a major event.
The next day I travelled to Pyramida station where the parade was starting. A crowd developed, championed by some very pretty Italian drag queens. I’m kidding here: they were actually a little gruesome. It was extremely hot in the late afternoon and the massive group made its way over to the floats that were assembling for the parade. The music started, everyone started dancing, the team on the big float I was near started splashing the crowd with water. It was an amazing party out at the station. Mr. Gay Rome was crowned on the float and then the parade began moving north to the Coliseum. The music and dancing continued with the backdrop of imperial Rome displayed all around us until we had made our way to the monument of Vittorio Emanuelle in the center of Rome. There the parade stopped and some of the leading gay activists from Rome began giving their speeches. I understood nothing that was being said, but from the crowd’s reactions, I can only guess that it was very moving. I felt very glad to be able to partake of the culture of Rome that Saturday.
The nature of the parade, being so modern, set in possibly the most historic location in the world placed the event within a historic context. Celebrating gay pride in the 21st century seemed astonishing with the eternal city. In the background the entire history of the west seemed to be written: the forum of Republican Rome, the Flavian Amphitheater from the height of the Empire, The churches of the medieval and renaissance looming in the background, and finally the monument to the unification of a secular Italian State ahead of us demonstrated the transition from classical values, to theocratic, and finally to humanist in our society. The presence of such incredible personal liberation and freedom in the western world seemed very young and miraculous given the bumpy ride over the centuries demonstrated all around us and gave the celebration that much more meaning. I don’t think that I could have ever fully appreciated this in any city but Rome.