IDAHO -- stand up against homophobia and transphobia!

Yepp, 17 of May is the IDAHO -- nah, not that one, it's a different one. Symbolic date? Exactly. May 17 was chosen as the day of the event because homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization on May 17, 1990. Since then, there are several examples of the diversity of approaches and actions that organisations engage in. One thing is common: those who participate think that it is an opportunity to raise your voice, send a message and fight for human rights -- a never-ending struggle? Arising from prejudice and ignorance, homophobia and transphobia can affect LGBTQ people’s lives in many ways. Every day, members of the LGBTQ community face disapproving comments, verbal attacks, hate speech, and physical violence, simply because their gender identity and/or sexual orientation is not what is accepted by the mainstream society. What's more in case of Hungary -- declarations of homophobia and transphobia can be heard even in the Parliament. And at this rate, Budapest Police’s practice of banning the pride march every year will soon become a Hungarian national tradition... nice.

Let's see how we celebrated IDAHO in Budapest! Organized by a couple of NGOs (including Budapest Pride, Amnesty International Hungary, Háttér Support Society for LGBT People, Labrisz Lesbian Association, the Hungarian LGBT Alliance and TransVanilla Transgender Association) the event took place at Deák tér from 4 pm and there were numerous programs. You can read the official press realease partly written by me (link here), you know I am one of the organizers of the Budapest Pride. What you could choose: support the Budapest Pride March with a video message, make sidewalk art with us, sign the Baltic Pride petition of the Amnesty International or join a discussion about transphobia held in Café Vis Major. The key is to say NO somehow.

I could not attend the discussion, but I spent two hours at Deák tér by interviewing strangers what they think about the pride march in general, if they plan to attend this year's etc. We recorded a number of speakers for this video of support. Besides one extreme homophobe guy, all the answers were relevant and instructive ...and I have to tell you my favorite one: I asked a middle-aged women who took her kids why she thought it was important to attend the event -- and what she replied was soooo encouraging -- she said that she wanted her children to be raised in a society in which same-sex couples were just as usual as hetero ones. Lovely!

Introducing Budapest Pride

So, today is the day of the CEU NGO fair. I've just read back the post that I published some days ago and realized that I have not written anything about Budapest Pride. 

I joined the organizer team last autumn, especially those coordinating the press. Later, when it turned out that I'm originally an art manager (or something like that), they convinced me to help the culture group arranging the events. I said ok, I welcomed this job because the Pride is an example how a cultural festival can highlight the importance of "colorfulness". The fight against homophobia and discrimination takes shape in a week-long cultural event with film screenings, exhibition, theater plays and of course the pride march. Its political message is inevitable -- due to the quite worrisome situation in the country -- but I think we should rather focus on the cultural values of such. It is more important to show that the festival is not only about saying "fuck off, I'm gay, get used to it", but about how diverse the lgbtq community is. 

I do enjoy working with them though it is not at all easy. I've already started contacting with gallery spaces, ruin bars, cafés -- wanted to find out who is open to exhibitions dealing with queer art. Meanwhile, I've also started a consultation with music artists, bands. We will see...