Dear friends in Serbia,<\/p>\n\n
If you are reading this, you are likely aware that Belgrade Pride is taking place on the 18th of September. You probably know more than me about the significance of this event and the difficult road that activists traveled to get to where they\/we are today. A path taken despite pervasive hostility, acts of violence, and sheer unwillingness of others to embrace us as fellow human beings.<\/p>\n\n
The word \u201cpride\u201d might be as foreign to you, as it is to me. In Poland, where I am from originally, we would go out with friends and other LGBTQI+ people to join Equality March, which later became known as Equality Parade. With each year, the streets became a bit friendlier, or perhaps more and more of us joined, and we just felt safer together. But in recent years politicians started to antagonize the society further by fuelling hate \u2013 first towards refugees, and later towards us. In the face of ongoing police brutality and the recent creation of anti-LGBTI+ zones \u2013 whose aim is solely to dehumanize us \u2013 we continue to march proudly in cities big and small.<\/p>\n\n
As queer people, walking freely is one of the many things we want to be able to do. We are still marching for equality, and we are not even halfway there. We are not asking for equality \u2014 we demand it, we WANT it. When do we want it? NOW. The laws are not set in stone and the only thing inscribed in history should be our shared humanity. We must be able to join trade unions and be rightfully recognized as equals before the law \u2013 in Serbia, as well as in Poland. It is our right as citizens to be respected and be seen in the workplace, schools, and the healthcare system. <\/p>\n\n
During the festival, I will be speaking from one of the stages of the National Theatre in Belgrade about a condition that has been stigmatized and politically overlooked, especially in countries like ours. I will be talking about HIV \u2013 living with it and being able to thrive. Even though I am personally in good health and can access the required medication, time and time again the world reminds us that viruses are a part of life and that we must speak openly about them without the burden of stigma and hindering judgment. We must practice transnational solidarity towards each other and build coalitions that can advance our societies in the future.<\/p>\n\n
If you can relate to any of the above, then please \u2013 do get in touch! I will be in Belgrade until 19th September. See you at Pride, I am more than happy to talk.<\/p>\n\n
See you at Pride!<\/p>\n\n
Szymon Adamczak<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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