Munich celebrates CSD: Colorful parade and strong messages for diversity!

Munich celebrates CSD: Colorful parade and strong messages for diversity!

On June 28, 2025, hundreds of thousands of people celebrated Munich's Christopher Street Day (CSD) under the motto “Liberté, Diversité, Queerité”. In bright sunshine, the participants marched through the streets of the Bavarian capital and sent a strong signal for freedom and diversity.
Although the number of participants was slightly lower than last year at around 250,000, the atmosphere was positive and colorful. By late afternoon, police had only recorded one accident in which a participant was injured. A total of 200 groups were represented on the train, while spectators cheered loudly and happily picked up sweets and flyers. Slogans like “Love is love!” and “I am what I am!” could be read on the posters, and the importance of the event was highlighted by many speakers.

One of the highlights of the CSD was that Munich's mayor Dieter Reiter led the procession. In his speech, he emphasized the city's commitment against discrimination. Second Mayor Dominik Krause (Greens) also drew attention to the importance of solidarity against hatred. The increase in attacks on the LGBTIQ* community in Germany is alarming: 289 incidents were reported in Bavaria in 2024 - 59 more than in the previous year. CSD Munich calls, among other things, for the protection of queer people to be included in the Basic Law.

A strong sign for the community

The CSD in Munich is not only a colorful festival, but also an important political act. The weeks of events, which began on June 14th, included over 80 events, and the political parade itself offered space for new participants such as the “Grandmas Against the Right” initiative. Alexander Kluge, managing director of the CSD, emphasized how important such events are for freedom and democracy. At the same time, in the context of global LGBTIQ* rights, it was emphasized that in many countries such as Hungary and Ukraine, queer people are under massive pressure and that solidarity is required.

However, social acceptance of LGBTIQ* people is still lacking. According to a survey, 78% of Germans support protecting lesbians, gays and bisexuals from discrimination, while 71% support gay marriage. At the same time, a report shows that many trans* people are severely discriminated against and, according to studies, 55% of the population perceive this form of discrimination as severe. DIW emphasizes that there is a lack of reliable data on the living situation of LGBTIQ* people and criticizes the low level of collection of sexual and gender-specific data in surveys.

In a city known for its openness and diversity, the CSD shows that commitment against discrimination and for the rights of the LGBTIQ* community remains an important and lively issue. As the parades and celebrations continue through the summer, the hope for a more just and accepting society remains in focus.