Just come back from a wonderful weekend in Tres Gai Paris - the full tale in three parts is over in uk.gay-lesbian-bi inder the title and I see nothing to be gained by cross posting it here as there is little that's specifically on topic for upb.
[Its also at http://www.calmeilles.demon.co.uk/pride/parispride98.html]
However there was some bdsm things of note. :)
The parade is less a march than an amble and is made up of many floats as diverse as dance clubs, sporting groups, political campaigns and something of a combination of all three the ASMF - Association Sado Masochisme de France (I think).
A huge flatbed truck of the size that takes 48 tonne containers with an edifice of scafolding with black draperies and camoflage nets looked like nothing so much as an ambulant open air version of one of the better back rooms :)
Perhaps thirty or fourty people were on the truck and the population seemed to change as the day went on showing an imense diversity of things BDSM.
A caged youth, a relaxed leather couple who might have been octogenarians, Particularly Perverted Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, whip wielding and water pistol toting guys and gals in costumes from the highly traditional leather straps and thongs through corstery to the outre and camp of space-age kitch.
Oh, and action. More than one volunteer presented arses to the crop and cane - in a couple of instances applied with *very* serious intent and great apreciation on the part of both "victim" and crowd. Self flagalation with cat and singletail also seemed popular.
And the crowning glory: at the back of the float a scafolding tower upon which danced and writhed a "Master" and two chained "slaves".
One of the latter was wiry and tough, scarred and restrained in shining steel... Oooo... Be still my beating heart and [cough] other physiological inconveniences. :)
To say that it was a delightful and facinating display fails to do it justice. But I can at least applaud myself on not loosing my head quite so far as some. Having survived the five hour slowly moving street party of maybe 200,000 people without loosing a single memeber of the party (there were about 30 of us, mostly French) one of my companions who'd got his nipple rings tweeked, beel lead by the nose ring and had other personal attentions lavished upon hir was so engrossed that we lost hir in the very last minutes of the march as sie followed the float instead of our party to the appointed rendez-vous.
Oh, we recovered hir little the worse for wear some hour later and went on to party late into the night.
Paris Pride is, in my opinion, a far more relaxed and accepted event than London's and the politics was not lacking: the over all theme being nothing more and nothing les than equality for all.
It was immensly affirming to see the BDSM folk out in strength and to hear them as loudly and enthusiastically cheered and aplauded as any other contigent in the parade.
Matthew (still smiling)
For the full story without subscribing to uk.glb LAST year's report is on my web site at http://www.calmeilles.demon.co.uk/pride/parispride97.html and if I get my act together today THIS years longer (and rather rambling) story (with short political rant) will be at http://www.calmeilles.demon.co.uk/pride/parispride98.html later tonight.
-- "Homo sum: humani nihil a me alienum puto" mailto:matthew.malthouse@guardian.co.uk http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/6630/index.html http://www.calmeilles.demon.co.uk/index.html
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