Tens of thousands join gay pride parades around the world
A reveler covers himself from the sun with a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler applies make up prior the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Revelers fill Mexico City’s iconic Reforma Avenue during the gay pride parade, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A reveler poses for a photo behind a closet with a curtain made with the colors of the rainbow during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler checks himself out on a vanity mirror before the start of the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler wears a diadem with colors of the rainbow during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Two men kiss during the Gay Pride parade in Asuncion, Paraguay, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
A trans woman holds a flare during the Gay Pride parade in Asuncion, Paraguay, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
Revelers ride a float during the gay pride parade, in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A couple kisses during the Gay Pride Parade in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Revelers hold a sign that reads ins Spanish “In this parade there is only love” as they attend the Gay Pride Parade in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Revelers gather with a Venezuelan flag for the annual gay pride parade in Lima, Peru, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A reveler poses for a photo during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A performer flies a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade, in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
Mexico City’s Angel of Independence dominates the starting point of the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A gay rights activist participates in a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
A reveler wearing a T-Shirt with the image of Guadalupe Virgin takes part in the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Gay rights activists walk with a rainbow colored flag during a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Revelers kiss during the gay pride parade in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A reveler takes part in the gay pride parade in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Gay rights activists walk in a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Gay rights activists walk during Serbia’s gay pride march in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Hundreds of gay and human rights activists at Serbia’s gay pride event marched through the city center. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Gay rights activists share a kiss during a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
A reveler covers himself from the sun with a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler applies make up prior the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Revelers fill Mexico City’s iconic Reforma Avenue during the gay pride parade, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A reveler poses for a photo behind a closet with a curtain made with the colors of the rainbow during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler checks himself out on a vanity mirror before the start of the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A reveler wears a diadem with colors of the rainbow during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Two men kiss during the Gay Pride parade in Asuncion, Paraguay, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
A trans woman holds a flare during the Gay Pride parade in Asuncion, Paraguay, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
Revelers ride a float during the gay pride parade, in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A couple kisses during the Gay Pride Parade in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Revelers hold a sign that reads ins Spanish “In this parade there is only love” as they attend the Gay Pride Parade in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Revelers gather with a Venezuelan flag for the annual gay pride parade in Lima, Peru, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A reveler poses for a photo during the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
A performer flies a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade, in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
Mexico City’s Angel of Independence dominates the starting point of the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Saturday, Jun. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)
A gay rights activist participates in a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
A reveler wearing a T-Shirt with the image of Guadalupe Virgin takes part in the gay pride parade in Mexico City, Mexico, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Gay rights activists walk with a rainbow colored flag during a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Gay rights activists walk with a rainbow colored flag during a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Revelers kiss during the gay pride parade in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A reveler takes part in the gay pride parade in Milan, Italy, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Gay rights activists walk in a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
Gay rights activists walk during Serbia’s gay pride march in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Hundreds of gay and human rights activists at Serbia’s gay pride event marched through the city center. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Gay rights activists walk during Serbia’s gay pride march in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Hundreds of gay and human rights activists at Serbia’s gay pride event marched through the city center. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Gay rights activists share a kiss during a rally to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first pride parade in the country, in Kolkata, India, Saturday, June 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tens of thousands of people turned out for gay pride celebrations around the world on Saturday, including a boisterous party in Mexico and the first pride march in North Macedonia’s capital.
Rainbow flags and umbrellas swayed and music pounded as the march along Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma avenue got underway, with couples, families and activists seeking to raise visibility for sexual diversity in the country.
Same-sex civil unions have been legal in Mexico City since 2007, and gay marriage since 2009. A handful of Mexican states have also legalized same-sex unions, which are supposed to be recognized nationwide. But pride participants said Mexico has a long way to go in becoming a more tolerant and accepting place for LGBTQ individuals.
“There’s a lot of machismo, a lot of ignorance still,” said Monica Nochebuena, who identifies as bisexual.
Nochebuena, 28, attended the Mexico City march for the first time with her mother and sister on Saturday, wearing a shirt that said: “My mama already knows.” Her mother’s shirt read: “My daughter already told me.”
Human rights activist Jose Luis Gutierrez, 43, said the march is about visibility, and rights, especially for Mexico’s vulnerable transgender population. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights says that poverty, exclusion and violence reduce life expectancy for trans women in the Americas to 35 years.
In New York City, Friday marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, when a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan led to a riot and days of demonstrations that morphed into a sustained LGBTQ liberation movement. The city’s huge Pride parade on Sunday also swings past the bar.
Other LGBTQ celebrations took place from India to Europe, with more events planned for Sunday.
In the North Macedonian capital of Skopje, U.S. Charge d’Affaires Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm attended the first pride march there in a festive and incident-free atmosphere despite a countermarch organized by religious and “pro-family” organizations.
People from across Macedonia took part, along with marchers from neighboring Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia and other countries.
“This year Skopje joined more than 70 Pride (marches) and the USA are very proud to be part of this,” Schweitzer-Bluhm told reporters. “There is a lot of progress here in North Macedonia but still a lot has to be done.”
In Paraguay, about 2,000 people paraded through the capital some carrying signs saying “Universities Free of Homophobia” and “Equal Rights.”
The gay pride march came on the same day that conservative Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez tweeted: “We will defend the family as the basis of society and the protection of life from conception.”