Thessaloniki Pride 2013
General information
2nd Thessaloniki Pride
June 14th, Mpensousan Hani, Ano Ladadika
June 15th, White Tower
We are proud of ourselves and we want to be accepted as equal human beings in our society. Thessaloniki pride is important because it's a way for the lgbt community to become visible to other people.
We fight for:
- The elimination of violence and isolation
- The establishment of civil partnership / marriage / adoption for gay people
- The support of the state and the society to lgbt people and their organizations
- The elimination of any discrimination in laws
- Providing knowledge and information at schools and universities
The forces of hate are collecting signatures to ban free speech and our right to express ourselves. But thousands of people with humanitarian ideals are marching with us, social organizations and political forces stand by our side.
So we are optimistic, fighting for our dreams, for a society without prejudice and hatred for those who are different, and we strive to celebrate the joy of life.
So, we invite everyone who believes in the freedom of thought, the freedom of social action, in effective democracy and non-commercialization of our emotions and our thinking, to join us and the global movement.
Slogan of Thessaloniki Pride 2013
Does everyone has a right to love? In Greece of 2013 the answer is propably not! People who fall in love with the same sex are forced to hide their sexual orientation by the state, the religion and a large part of the society. Most of us are forced to self-suppress any public expression of feelings and emotions, limiting our love life in the narrow context of "private". In Greece it is discouraged (and sometimes forbidden) to be a gay/lesbian in public! Here homosexuality is tolerated only if it is not shown publicly...
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people are being targeted as alleged perpetrators of "modern moral decline", just as immigrants are accused of causing the financial crisis. Some even try to convince people that LGBT persons are not entitled to exist.
Faced with such an old fashioned way of thinking, gays and trans will respond with a mass march in the streets of Thessaloniki, in the 2nd Thessaloniki Pride! But the fight for equal rights and free expression of love does not only concern the LGBT community but also society as a whole. Because tumbling towards conservatism does not only threatens us gays, lesbians and trans, but every and each one! We call heterosexuals to support us and join us in a colorful river of freedom!
Because love is neither just feelings nor sexual pleasures, on 14th and 15th of June, we shall all proudly shout together:
Free Spirits - Free Bodies
2nd Thessaloniki Pride
