Rainbow parade in Ried: A strong sign for the Innviertel!

Rainbow parade in Ried: A strong sign for the Innviertel!

On Saturday, June 7, 2025, the first rainbow parade took place in Ried im Innkreis. An event that caused a sensation in the region and, as it were, set a sign for the Queere Community. The aim of the parade is to form a strong community for queer people in the Innviertel. The organizer Jella Reidinger, who himself lived as a man for almost 50 years, spoke openly about her experiences and the challenges that queer people have to face in rural areas. She emphasizes that many of them often feel alone and hopes that such events help to overcome the isolation. In addition, Reidinger plans to officially change her gender in July and is proud to be blossoming in her personality as a trans woman, which she underlines with her preference for painted nails, pink and bling bling.

The rainbow parade in Ried is part of a more comprehensive pride season, which takes place throughout Austria from May to October 2025 and comprises 13 different cities and municipalities. Events, such as the rainbow parade, stand not only for visibility and equality, but also against discrimination. travel.ggg.at reports that the Pride movement has now grown beyond Vienna and is at home in many cities.

The hustle and bustle in the country

The upcoming events include the largest LGBTI event in Austria, the rainbow parade in Vienna on June 14, which expects over 300,000 participants. The movement is also evident in rural areas, such as the Mittersill Pride on August 2. It is noteworthy that Pride events combine a political protest with celebrations and offer the LGBTI community a platform to celebrate their rights and visibility. The importance of such initiatives is becoming increasingly clear, as can be seen from the words of Reidinger and other participants.

But what about the legal framework for the LGBTI community in Austria? The ongoing rainbow index of the ILGA shows that Austria is only in the middle of the EU in the EU comparison and ranks 149 of 49 countries. [Puls24] (https://www.puls24.at/news/chronik/oesterreich-be- der-lgbti-rechte-im-mittelfeld/267310/) emphasizes that only 48 percent of the proposed human rights in Austria are actually living practice. This shows that there is still a lot to do to create a comprehensive balance for all members of the LGBTI community, while countries like Malta are at the top and others, such as Poland, are heavily criticized due to their disregard for LGBTI rights.

a step in the right direction

Despite these challenges, the rise of the Pride events and the commitment of the community is encouraging. The highlight of these activities testifies to a clear desire for change and a stronger cohesion among queer people. The hope is that such rainbow parades not only increase visibility, but also promote social acceptance and ultimately lead to a better implementation of the LGBTI rights in Austria. The press has aptly formulated that each village deserves its own rainbow parade and thus contributes to an important part to the non-profit movement.

The first rainbow parade in Ried could therefore be the beginning of a long Tradition that can cause that in the future the feeling of community and acceptance also plays a greater role in the rural regions of Austria.