This year we filled the streets with rainbow flags on October 19th for the fourth annual Pécs Pride Parade, organized by the Diverse Youth Network.
The march started at 2PM from the ‘48 Square(referencing the 1848 revolution) and marched through the city to Széchenyi Square. There stands of civil organizations awaited the marchers, and, later on, the celebrations ended with a few speeches. Márton Pál (from the Family is Family movement) spoke about the struggle for acceptance, differences in society, and the situation of rainbow families. Hella Zsirka, Háttér [Background] Society’s operative manager, raised awareness of the difficulties and inner struggles of trans people. Kristóf Steiner started his speech with the sad story of his return to Hungary when he was recognized by a man at the airport who told him that the country would be better without him and that people like him were causing harm and should apologize. Géza B-Hábel, the Diverse Youth Network leader, asked for a minute of silence from the audience for those victims who paid for their differences with their lives.
The parade of about 1000 participants had a peaceful and family atmosphere, with friendly waves from windows and the music of the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party car at the front of the line. The route was cordoned off by the police, and so it was less convenient for the motorists and pedestrians who wanted to pass through and for those from the parade who wanted to leave for a bathroom break. In the latter case, they could not go back, and they could rejoin at the end of the procession if an organizer let them in.
Although this maximized the feeling of safety, it also is sad that the security for a Pride march for acceptance, equality, and freedom, with the motto “Be Brave!”, still requires hermetically sealed streets.
Pécs Pride is the only Pride in Hungary outside of Budapest. Although the rights and opportunities of the LGBTQ+ community are nationally disenfranchised, in Budapest it is relatively easy to find communities, spaces, and events where you can meet people and make friends with like-minded and like-interested people in an accepting, supportive, and stable environment. Living in this fragile bubble, we tend to forget that it is not only in the capital that members of the LGBTQ+ community live. We need Pécs Pride because it provides visibility and strengthens a sense of belonging while supporting the path toward a more inclusive society.
We need to show not only the government with its homophobic policies, but also each other, that we are here, we are together, and – wherever you live in this country – you are not alone.
This trip was funded by the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community and co-funded by the European Union. The content of this account is the sole responsibility of qLit.hu, the implementer of the project, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community or the European Union.
Translation by Amy
