Copenhagen Reserves Separate Graveyard for Gays and Lesbians

Homosexuals have been designated an area in a Copenhagen cemetery for those who want to be buried among people who shared their sexual orientation, one of the project initiators said on Tuesday.

"We founded an association called Regnbuen (Rainbow) and our goal is that gays and lesbians can be buried next to each other," Ivan Larsen told AFP.

The association has rented spots that can hold up to a total of 45 urns at Assistens cemetery. Each space costs 2,500 kroner (335 euros, 526 dollars).

The cemetery already hosts figures as diverse as the Danish fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen and the philosopher Soeren Kierkegaard.

The area the group has booked is separated from the rest of the cemetery by a large triangle of pebbles on the ground, with a massive rock placed on one of the angles.

"The triangle is our old symbol, but it is also a sign of suffering," Larsen said, recalling that the Nazis forced homosexuals to wear a pink triangle.

The rainbow flag, a universal symbol for homosexuals representing diversity, will be placed on the rock, he added.

"We don't want to isolate ourselves but we also feel a need to be together. We see this as a family grave, one that will be taken care of by our family," said Larsen.

Source-AFP
SRM/M