Vienna celebrates its LGBTIQ+community: Vienna Pride 2025 awaits record visit!

Vienna celebrates its LGBTIQ+community: Vienna Pride 2025 awaits record visit!

Rathausplatz, 1010 Wien, Österreich - Vienna will become the rainbow capital again this year when the Vienna Pride is celebrated in the capital from June 12th to 14th. The event is of particular importance for the organizers, since the rights and visibility of LGBTIQ+people are increasingly politically controversial. Katharina Kacerovsky-Strobl, one of the organizers, expresses concern about massive returns in some countries that concern the rights of LGBTIQ+person. It emphasizes the importance of support for the Vienna Pride as a contribution to openness and justice in society, whereas Vienna is viewed as a "positive opposite pole" to countries such as the USA and Hungary

The chairwoman of Hosi Vienna, Ann-Sophie Otte, indicates the lack of protection against discrimination in Austria. It criticizes the lack of a ban on conversion therapies as well as inadequate protective measures for transpersons and demands quick improvements from the federal government. In view of the global discrimination of LGBTIQ+person, as is documented in Amnesty , it becomes clear that a lot of educational work and legal improvements are necessary.

Pride Village and program highlights

The Pride Village on Rathausplatz will act as the central meeting point for the LGBTIQ+community. There will be an extensive stage program that includes known acts such as Melanie C, Rose May Alaba and Conchita Wurst. A total of over 50 events are planned, with the highlight of the rainbow parade on June 14th. Susanne Haase, SPÖ councilor, emphasizes that the pride still acts as a protest.

The security situation is also treated intensively. After a terrorist threat two years ago, strict security controls take place. Kacerovsky-Strobl informs that there are currently no concrete threats and a constant exchange with the authorities will be carried out to ensure the safety of the participants.

global challenges and progress

The global situation of LGBTIQ+person remains worrying. In countries such as Iraq, where a law was adopted in April 2024, the same-sex relationships with up to 15 years in prison, or in Uganda, where a cruel anti-Homosexuality law was adopted with death penalty, people are often exposed to violence and intimidation due to their sexual orientation. In Turkey, too, Pride demonstrations were violently prevented in 2023, while in Hungary the "Propaganda Act" severely limits the discussion about LGBTIQ+topics.

Nevertheless, there are also positive developments. In Namibia, laws that criminalized same -sex sexual acts were lifted. Greece recognized same -sex marriage and adoption for same -sex couples. Japanese increases the recognition of marriages between same-sex couples, and in Thailand the marriage was legalized for LGBTI pairs.