The RCN exhibition "My Rainbow City"

The WASt proudly presents the international photo exhibition "My Rainbow City 2016".

Wolfgang Wilhelm, Vienna curator of the exhibition:

"The Rainbow Cities Network (RCN), which today includes more than 20 cities, was established in The Hague in 2013 on occasion of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). The network aims to discuss local approaches in equality and anti-discrimination work for LGBTIQ persons, to learn from each other, and to develop joint strategies.

As a first joint project, the Rainbow Cities have organised a photo exhibition with the title "My Rainbow City" on occasion of IDAHOT on 17 May 2016: eleven cities participate and provide one photo each for the international exhibition. The photos show a waving rainbow flag at the beginning of the CSD parade, the diversity of the people in a modern city, the rainbow flag flying from city halls on occasion of large and colourful queer events as well as the little talked about history of the LGBTIQ movement. They show clearly visible activities in pride villages as well as little noticed queer family situations, rainbow-coloured commitments by city administrations. They show queer superheroes and what it is all about, namely love, as well as awareness raising campaigns for young people, and castles lit in rainbow colours. They show the many different levels where Rainbow Cities pursue equality work.

The rainbow flag, which today is a symbol of and for the pride of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and intersex* persons, many years ago was still a secret symbol used by LGBTIQ persons to point to their existence and find other people who also live outside the strict heteronormativity. Today, the rainbow flag has become an established symbol for the fact that LGBTIQ persons have gained more and more rights in many areas of our society in more and more countries and cities. A symbol that their demand for full equality forms an integral part of the modern human rights discourse. It reflects the pride of LGBTIQ persons for the achievements of innumerable activists and is also a symbol that we all still need to make several more efforts to achieve full equality for all LGBTIQ persons in the whole world. And that full equality exists - somewhere over the rainbow..."