gay pride bucuresti
as we reached piata unirii we saw philip and tomas and ana and monica, and we were going to follow them (likely looking as they were)... but ended up directing them *smile* tho it was not long before it was easy enough to simply follow the lines of police to the start point for the march. and the massing for the start was as confusing as most gay prides i've attended have been *winky smile* there were a smattering of drag queens (receiving much attention *smile*) [0], and lots of everyday-looking people. there appeared as many press as participants massed, and i don't think i've ever been photographed so much in one space/time! *smile* it was very much an international event - we met people from sweden, france, poland, canada, USA, as well as romania, and heard some german and other english speakers. some were living here, others on holiday here/like us, and some had come primarily to support the event. the small group we encountered in piata unirii had come through the ukraine and poland, and we on their way for world pride in jerusalem, and tel aviv queeruption. another swedish guy we met was in bucuresti for a conference against homophobia in schools.
at 6ish we started processing, with and following after a 200m long rainbow flag.
i'm stopping at intervals as i write this to feed scousecat and myself squares of chocolate, in a post-adrenaline-come-down-countering way *smile* we're sitting relaxing in the cismigiu gardens *smile*
processing with a flag.. and within the limits of lines of police flanking us both sides. there were four lines in total - the 2 either side of us, and then 2 more out from them, a couple of road lanes/carriageways away, flanking the crowds (hmm, the crowds! more about them later). and, on one side at least, between the two lines, armoured vehicles. there were mounted police further off, and cars and other police stationed at other points along the route.
it took me a while to realise they were for our protection *grimace* the police forces were actually very well organised i realised/remarked in retrospect, and had our protection at the forefront, without overtly attaching any bias(es). tho at times along the march they seemed aggressive - more faster, stay within these margins, to the right, to the left, over there, come on - i think in part adrenalined up, and in part organised with military precision (and trying to impose the same on us *winky smile*).
in advance of the march, i found myself/ourselves in conversation with a gay guy from bucuresti wearing a UNISON tshirt acquired at international conferences; a straight romanian journalist from bucuresti who was there in a personal capacity, interested (& writing a book about) freedom in general. along the route we talked with a straight romanian couple who had come out of 'curiosity', to learn more about the gay community; a 20 year old barber from bucuresti terrified of being in any of the photographs being taken because he wasn't out to any of his friends/colleagues (this seemed a common thing, and some were wearing party masks to dual effect, i think); an american guy living in bucuresti; and many others. the overall picture of queer life in romania we got - from our conversations, and from our participation in the march - was that it is difficult. that there is still much opposition (active opposition) primarily from religious and fascist organisations. that one of the main campaigns is for the recognition of civil partnerships within the next few years. and that this years' march received a lot more aggression than last year - last year's (first) pride march kinda taking people by surprise.
a good point to come back to - the aggression within the crowds - thunder and lightning, as well as fading light levels, prompted our returning to the hotel we're staying at - in time to catch the 9 o'clock news and reporting of the pride march. the emphasis appears to be on the problems encountered - views of riot police controlling crowds, dodging crates being thrown at them, beating fascists with their sticks. there were a couple of interviews with ACCEPT members. a mention that participants didn't rise to the provocation. and then reporting (including a couple of on-the-street interviews) of the fascists & the religious groups (both anti-gay) (did i need to say that?!). my understanding of the reporting was loose and minimal, but it appeared fairly unbiased. the emphasis on the problems encountered possibly because, well, they were very real! but possibly because there was more organised anti-gay protest than last year. and the sense we got from the march? it was at times a really tense experience - from the start the streets were full of generally antagonistic crowds - much jeering and gesturing, and a significant amount of organised chanting - and they stayed that way for the entirety of the march. i didn't catch exactly any of what was said, tho got the general tone. there were also people using megaphones to direct their protest -quite possibly/probably some of the groups, particularly religious.
i mentioned tense - the verbal aggression we met was really full on, and at times very close to overspilling (occasionally hoards of police would run alongside to contain a particular outbreak). more disturbing were the rocks and bottles thrown (that missed us), a few littering our way, and hearing others hitting the side of the armoured vehicle to our right. and less physically threatening, but equally unpleasant and ill-intentioned, were the eggs thrown (which didn't miss us *winky vegan eek*).
at its conclusion, the march was corralled by police with cars/coaches/vans on one side, and police and armoured vehicles the other, who stayed by the metro station and taxi rank to try and ensure safe dispersal. at the beginning of the march we'd received a few words of info/advice regarding the march, and leaving in groups/not singly was one of them, and it was certainly very sound. we briefly hooked up with, and then lost, a lad from montreal we'd seen in the reception of the hotel we're staying at and thought should be going to the pride march (he was, with some french guys he'd met - one of whom was also the guy who'd helped us with my wheelchair on and of the bus from the airport *smile* small international queer world *grin*), and were then approached by a couple of young women reporters from the (english language) bucharest daily news, whom we left the area in mutually beneficial conversation with. i think that our interview and photo will appear in said paper.
one thing i haven't mentioned so far is the number of apparently mixed-sex couples that were part of the march - many 'more than queer friends' imo (though i think there may've at times been some mixed-sex coupling to confuse/reduce the animosity of reception) - an apparent significant proportion of bi people and hetero supporters.
and bisexual. umm, not sure that was particularly evident as a sexuality within the event/population's eyes. though i believe ACCEPT campaign for the rights of all sexual minorities. and some of its obscurity was possibly because of language - 'gay' being used as an umbrella term in conversations.
participating in this event - while a really tense experience at times, and occasionally posing the possibility of real threat to personal safety and well being - is something i'd definitely do again, and has inspired me to consider supporting some of the other (particularly eastern) european pride events.
[0] these could easily have included transgender/transsexual persons.
some (englsih langauge) links:
bucharest daily news' article about the gay pride march
bucharest daily news' article about events preceding the march
bbc report on gay pride march, more words than pictures
bbc report on gay pride march, more pictures than words
wikipedia page on romanian gayfest
at 6ish we started processing, with and following after a 200m long rainbow flag.
i'm stopping at intervals as i write this to feed scousecat and myself squares of chocolate, in a post-adrenaline-come-down-countering way *smile* we're sitting relaxing in the cismigiu gardens *smile*
processing with a flag.. and within the limits of lines of police flanking us both sides. there were four lines in total - the 2 either side of us, and then 2 more out from them, a couple of road lanes/carriageways away, flanking the crowds (hmm, the crowds! more about them later). and, on one side at least, between the two lines, armoured vehicles. there were mounted police further off, and cars and other police stationed at other points along the route.
it took me a while to realise they were for our protection *grimace* the police forces were actually very well organised i realised/remarked in retrospect, and had our protection at the forefront, without overtly attaching any bias(es). tho at times along the march they seemed aggressive - more faster, stay within these margins, to the right, to the left, over there, come on - i think in part adrenalined up, and in part organised with military precision (and trying to impose the same on us *winky smile*).
in advance of the march, i found myself/ourselves in conversation with a gay guy from bucuresti wearing a UNISON tshirt acquired at international conferences; a straight romanian journalist from bucuresti who was there in a personal capacity, interested (& writing a book about) freedom in general. along the route we talked with a straight romanian couple who had come out of 'curiosity', to learn more about the gay community; a 20 year old barber from bucuresti terrified of being in any of the photographs being taken because he wasn't out to any of his friends/colleagues (this seemed a common thing, and some were wearing party masks to dual effect, i think); an american guy living in bucuresti; and many others. the overall picture of queer life in romania we got - from our conversations, and from our participation in the march - was that it is difficult. that there is still much opposition (active opposition) primarily from religious and fascist organisations. that one of the main campaigns is for the recognition of civil partnerships within the next few years. and that this years' march received a lot more aggression than last year - last year's (first) pride march kinda taking people by surprise.
a good point to come back to - the aggression within the crowds - thunder and lightning, as well as fading light levels, prompted our returning to the hotel we're staying at - in time to catch the 9 o'clock news and reporting of the pride march. the emphasis appears to be on the problems encountered - views of riot police controlling crowds, dodging crates being thrown at them, beating fascists with their sticks. there were a couple of interviews with ACCEPT members. a mention that participants didn't rise to the provocation. and then reporting (including a couple of on-the-street interviews) of the fascists & the religious groups (both anti-gay) (did i need to say that?!). my understanding of the reporting was loose and minimal, but it appeared fairly unbiased. the emphasis on the problems encountered possibly because, well, they were very real! but possibly because there was more organised anti-gay protest than last year. and the sense we got from the march? it was at times a really tense experience - from the start the streets were full of generally antagonistic crowds - much jeering and gesturing, and a significant amount of organised chanting - and they stayed that way for the entirety of the march. i didn't catch exactly any of what was said, tho got the general tone. there were also people using megaphones to direct their protest -quite possibly/probably some of the groups, particularly religious.
i mentioned tense - the verbal aggression we met was really full on, and at times very close to overspilling (occasionally hoards of police would run alongside to contain a particular outbreak). more disturbing were the rocks and bottles thrown (that missed us), a few littering our way, and hearing others hitting the side of the armoured vehicle to our right. and less physically threatening, but equally unpleasant and ill-intentioned, were the eggs thrown (which didn't miss us *winky vegan eek*).
at its conclusion, the march was corralled by police with cars/coaches/vans on one side, and police and armoured vehicles the other, who stayed by the metro station and taxi rank to try and ensure safe dispersal. at the beginning of the march we'd received a few words of info/advice regarding the march, and leaving in groups/not singly was one of them, and it was certainly very sound. we briefly hooked up with, and then lost, a lad from montreal we'd seen in the reception of the hotel we're staying at and thought should be going to the pride march (he was, with some french guys he'd met - one of whom was also the guy who'd helped us with my wheelchair on and of the bus from the airport *smile* small international queer world *grin*), and were then approached by a couple of young women reporters from the (english language) bucharest daily news, whom we left the area in mutually beneficial conversation with. i think that our interview and photo will appear in said paper.
one thing i haven't mentioned so far is the number of apparently mixed-sex couples that were part of the march - many 'more than queer friends' imo (though i think there may've at times been some mixed-sex coupling to confuse/reduce the animosity of reception) - an apparent significant proportion of bi people and hetero supporters.
and bisexual. umm, not sure that was particularly evident as a sexuality within the event/population's eyes. though i believe ACCEPT campaign for the rights of all sexual minorities. and some of its obscurity was possibly because of language - 'gay' being used as an umbrella term in conversations.
participating in this event - while a really tense experience at times, and occasionally posing the possibility of real threat to personal safety and well being - is something i'd definitely do again, and has inspired me to consider supporting some of the other (particularly eastern) european pride events.
[0] these could easily have included transgender/transsexual persons.
some (englsih langauge) links:
bucharest daily news' article about the gay pride march
bucharest daily news' article about events preceding the march
bbc report on gay pride march, more words than pictures
bbc report on gay pride march, more pictures than words
wikipedia page on romanian gayfest