A Pride for all people
For several years now, the Leipzig Pride organisation team has been committed to making the Leipzig Pride more accessible. Even though we are aware that complete accessibility is difficult to achieve, we try to approach it as far as possible.
After we took a proactive approach to the topic of inclusion and ableism in 2021 under the motto (in)visible?! with two ambassadors with disabilities, we set up the Accessibility Team. This team consists of experts in their own right and advises as part of the organisational team on the topic of accessibility and inclusion. As a result, the inclusion concept was expanded in 2022 and has been successively developed since then.
For example, the first step was to add options to our website that make it easier for people with visual impairments to access our texts and content. Alternative texts for images have been gradually added since then. Since 2023, the most important information about the Pride has also been published in plain language.
Demonstration & street festival
In addition to the sign language interpretation already introduced in previous years, we have focussed on the participation of people with walking disabilities in our demonstration and the street festival for Pride 2022.
Since then, there have been demo vehicles (buses) for people with walking disabilities and for older people, which will also be an integral part of the demonstration in the future. You can register to travel on the buses and reserve a seat via the following link. Depending on the number of seats available, it is of course also possible to travel spontaneously without pre-registration. We kindly ask you to show solidarity. Boarding and alighting will take place at Augustusplatz or Goethestraße. We will announce the exact location of the vehicles in due course on our website and via social media. It will not be possible to board or alight during the demonstration.
There is also a platform in a central position on Augustusplatz from which people with walking disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs, can follow the stage programme from a comfortable vantage point. We also offer barrier-free toilets.
We are also endeavouring to organise assistants who can help with getting in and out of the vehicles and using the platform. If you would like to help us with this, you can register using the relevant form.
An awareness team has been on duty at the street festival since 2023. This team is specially trained to offer support, e.g. in the event of experiences of discrimination or assaultive behaviour, and to provide a safe space.
Events of the Pride week
For the events of the Pride week, which we do not organise ourselves and therefore only have limited influence on locations etc., we have been displaying various accessibility criteria in our online event calendar since Pride 2023.
All organisers must answer the following questions when registering their events for the Pride week:
- Is there a barrier-free access to the venue?
- Are the routes within the venue barrier-free?
- Are the routes within the venue accessible for blind persons?
- Is there a barrier-free toilet? If so, is it suitable for wheelchairs?
- Are assistants for people with disabilities present?
- Is there a sign language interpreter for on-site participants?
- Is there a sign language interpreter for online participants? (for online or hybrid events)
- Are there subtitles for online participants? (for online or hybrid events)
- Are flickering or flashing lights and/or sudden loud noises to be expected before, during or after the event?
If accessible solutions are available, these will be stored for each event and displayed in the event calendar on the website. Furthermore, event organisers have the opportunity to provide their own information or explanations on possible barriers.
We won't stand still!
It is very important to us that ALL people can take part in Pride and the Pride week. We will therefore continuously tackle further barriers and (further) develop concepts for their removal. We are always grateful for suggestions!
Would you like to join the accessibility team, are you a sign language interpreter or would you like to support us as an assistant? Send us a message via social media or an email and get involved to make Leipzig Pride more inclusive. We look forward to seeing you!