Gay marriage backers celebrate in Germany

BERLIN — Esther Thiane, a student in Berlin, does not know yet if she wants to marry a man or a woman — but now she can choose without worrying about the legality of whatever she chooses.

Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, signed marriage equality into law Thursday, and the nation’s first same-sex marriages are set to take place in October. Supporters like Thiane had a chance to celebrate in Berlin on Saturday at the Christopher Street Day Parade, an annual event named for the New York City street synonymous with gay pride.

Thousands of people participated in the parade, which one marcher, Marco Hirscher, 28, described as a “huge party for our rights.”

Last month, the German parliament, or Bundestag, swiftly debated and approved marriage equality. Now, activists and lawmakers say the next steps include revising the constitution’s anti-discrimination article so it provides protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Such a change would require approval from two-thirds of parliament’s 630 members.