If you need motivation to get back in the gym, look no further than Madrid. With all that muscle walking around one would think a battle of muscle bound warriors is about to ensue, but the only fight you will see in Madrid is the battle for equality. In Madrid is host to the International World Pride event which, according to them is,.
So I took the time to go into the city and experience the love, which was in no short supply. In just a short amount of time I was able to talk to people from all around the world and ask them what they liked about the event, about Madrid and about the opportunity to feel free to be themselves. You can watch some of their responses in the video below. While most people shared their stories of the people they had met, how open minded the environment was and how nice everyone seemed to be, it was becoming clear to me that an even bigger story was unfolding.
That story is the story of Madrid itself. During my time in the city it was clear just how far Madrid had gone to make everyone not only feel safe, but also welcome. The city had planned every small detail to ensure that everyone felt free to be who they truly are with no strings attached, down to the rainbow colored port-a-potties.
Even crossing the street one could see just how far the city had gone to cultivate a sense of welcome as the street crossing traffic lights had been changed. In this picture I took you can see two women crossing the street together. In my quest to talk with people I spoke with several Americans that had come all the way to Spain for the Pride event.
While several agreed to share their experience on camera with me, many were reluctant to go on camera. The people that declined to go on camera were Americans and they explained that they worked jobs in which they were afraid would find out about their sexuality. I spoke with a Pediatric Doctor and a Teacher at a prominent academy that were happy to talk with me but did not want to appear in a video for fear of potentially losing their jobs or facing criticism back home.
