Faces of Pride – Zine
Happy (critical) Pride 2018 everyone! Download and view Pride zine here!
Interviews with pride organizers from all around the world. Ever wondered what’s still political about Pride? This is!
Faces of Pride: Natalino Ornai Guterres || Timor-Leste Pride
“To me personally, it was amazing to see changes take place over the past year. Last year, my brother who was previously not accepting of my sexual orientation, came to march with me. This year, my mother, who was also not accepting of my sexual orientation last year, came to Pride this year. “
Faces of Pride: Slavco Dimitrov | Skopje Pride Weekend
“Heteronormativity has always been also co-constituted with a class system of capitalist exploitation, racial divisions and exclusions on the grounds of ethnicity, hence fighting sexual and gender inequality must attend to all these other inequalities and systems as well.”
Faces of Pride: Ilisapeci Raileqe | Fiji Pride
“To all the LGBTIQ communities, please let us support each other and be proud of who we are. I believe we go through many forms of discrimination, stigma, violence and many of us have experienced mental, physical, and psychosocial issues as a result of the aggressive actions around us, and so with the little we have and the spaces we are exposed to – like the Pride March – Let’s utilize it fully to raise a collective call and awareness to bring about change, acceptance, love, respect and we must persevere on.”
Faces of Pride: Lasia Casil || Guam Pride
“It was a challenge because Pride had never been celebrated out in the open before here on the island. There were parties in the nightclubs, but I felt it was important to make it inclusive for all ages and the entire community to participate.”
Faces of Pride: Kenneth J. Miller || Phuket Pride
For four years, we funded three additional HIV Testing in the gay area. The rate of HIV was 25% in 2012 and by 2017, we saw the rate drop down to 11%.”
Faces of Pride: Jessica Lima || Ljubljana Pride
“It’s time we work together, and that we work through/despite our differences. It’s important to stay true to our political goals, but we need to be able to compromise and be able to come together as a community and do the work that needs to be done: educate, raise awareness, organise & mobilise, etc. Our egos cannot stay in the way of our work.”
Faces of Pride: Rosanna Flamer-Caldera || Colombo Pride
“It is important to mainstream our issues, visialise the LGBTIQ community and give people in Sri Lanka a taste of Queer culture. It goes very far to encourage LGBTIQ persons to come out and feel proud of themselves and also to show Sri Lanka there is a vibrant LGBTI community here.”
Faces of Pride: Stévia Arthur || Barbados Pride
“Together we are powerful, working together, we can improve our quality of life. Stand strong together, speak out against oppression, no matter the oppressor. Visibility is liberty and knowing we have the strength of an entire community behind us, makes it less scary to be visible.”
Faces of Pride: Sothy Linda || Cambodia Pride
“First of all, Prides helped me to come out and they can encourage individuals to be themselves through educational, social, community and other activities. Then…”
Faces of Pride: Tin & Linus || Hong Kong Pride
“The growth of HK Pride as an event, and to see how the crowd changes is pretty remarkable. At 2008 we had 1.000 participants and now in about 10 years time by 2017 we had 10.000 participants. Last year’s survey even showed there are about 18% straight people that came to support their queer friends and family, which is really a nice thing to see.”
Faces of Pride: Emiel Wijnberg || Maspalomas Winter Pride
“Gran Canaria and Maspalomas are one of Europe’s favourite LGTB destinations and is therefore the ideal place for our visitors to be who they are. But at the same time our tropical island is only few hundred kilometres away from countries on another continent where being who you are is neither allowed nor accepted.”
Faces of Pride: Lara Özlen || Istanbul Pride
“It is important for us to shout out loud and being more visible since there are no legal regulations in relation to hate crimes or marriage equality in Turkey.”
Faces of Pride: Czeslaw Walek || Prague Pride
“Come to Prague and support us by visiting Prague Pride. We aspire to be the first Eastern European country to legalize equal marriage and we need your help.”
Faces of Pride: Hadi Damien || Beirut Pride
“Be kind, yet firm, and trust that we are moving forward, no matter what. It is called evolution. We will get there, for we are genuine and authentic.”
Faces of Pride: Alexa Hoffmann || Barbados Pride
“In a society such as Barbados, where religious ideologies and pop culture influence prejudice against LGBT persons, Pride stands as a statement by those who participate that they will not bow to the shame anticipated by those who are against the idea of us being treated as equals in society.”
Faces Of Pride: Evie Wu || Shanghai Pride
“This year is the 10th year of pride in Shanghai and we initiate CnPRIDE at this moment with grassroots organizations around Mainland China, that have developed for years and that have the capability to organize a festival or an event for their local community. From May to July, the whole community around the mainland can celebrate TOGETHER!”
Faces Of Pride: Julia Maciocha || Warsaw Pride
“For me it’s important because it’s gathering many minorities, not only LGBTQ people. We have 13 demands and more and more people are joining the parade because they feel this is their celebration too. It’s only one day in Warsaw when people can wear rainbow, hold hands and be protected by the police. It’s like a big breath we take, that we have to hold for one year.”
Faces Of Pride: Francesco || Milano Pride
“A lot has been done until now, but a lot has still to be done! Let’s stay alert, proud and inclusive and let’s spread the spirit of Pride everywhere!”
Faces Of Pride: Anil Persaud || Guyana Pride
“The LGBT community truly marched with pride in their veins as it was not only a parade but it was a movement and a clear statement – we exist and we deserve rights, like any other human being.”
Faces Of Pride: Eva Jóa || Reykjavik Pride
“I think Reykjavík Pride is important because the fight isn’t over. Socially we might be one of the most accepting countries, but our laws have us beaten.”
Faces Of Pride: Maurice Tomlinson || Montego Bay Pride
“Montego Bay Pride also is an opportunity for the small LGBT community to share survival strategies, feel empowered knowing that we are not alone, and show solidarity for each other as we “gear up” to face another challenging year in a very hostile environment.”
Faces Of Pride: Viktória Radványi || Budapest Pride
“The Ministry of Interior ignored our claim, so during the march, we teared down the cordons and marched, finally, in freedom. That was an achievement no one expected us to reach.”
Faces Of Pride: Kaye Ally || Johannesburg Pride
“Don’t turn a blind eye to the plight of the LGBT+ community in Africa. Africa needs your support!”
Faces Of Pride: Radoslav Stoyanov || Sofia Pride
“Without the pride Bulgarian media wouldn’t be talking about LGBTIQ people at all.”
Faces Of Pride: Thanos Vlachogiannis || Thessaloniki Pride
“Above all, Prides empower and give a huge boost to the self-confidence of LGBTI people, while they provide a safe space for them for self-expression.”