As every year, Pride season arrives with a lot of controversy where even the LGBT community has divided opinions and preferences about how Pride parades should happen in different cities and which is the right way to fight for LGBT rights and acceptance.
When we think of the Pride, practically the first image that comes to our mind is a street full of diverse people, scandalous outfits and toned bodies being shamelessly exhibited after all the hours that were spent in the gym to have the „Pride shape”. This is the image that divides most people when it comes to attending Pride. For some people, the event is a party and an opportunity to celebrate and let yourself go; one day to leave behind the „indoor” life that most people follow as they are not often allowed to show and express themselves on the street with things as simple and normal as a kiss to your boyfriend.
On the other hand, a second group of people considers that this image only emphasizes stereotypes about the LGBT community and does not contribute to the acceptance that is needed to keep moving forward with our equal rights agenda. There are also some extra topics in discussion such as morals, religion and general social boundaries that are being pushed, causing natural rejection from the average citizen and making the integration and inclusion of our community a more complicated matter.
But what most people don’t realize is that both sides have a valid opinion and Pride is exactly that, a space for everyone to express their sexuality in their own way whether it is by walking on the street with their butt popping out of their pants, or walking leisurely with your family and friends using your voice to call for change. Every opinion is welcome and every shade of the rainbow has time to shine.
With everything mentioned above, we often forget to look at the bigger picture, the role of Pride and its social purpose, especially in a country like Hungary where there is still a lot to do for the LGBT people to be treated as an equal part of its society.
- Acceptance: It has been decades since the fights for women’s rights and against racism have started and we still see how they are revolving issues in today’s world, while the boom of LGBT rights as a cause is something coming from the recent era. Social change takes time end events like the Pride march keep this conversation alive and helps the new generations to accept this as part of their conceptions of „normality”.
- Rights: One thing we should take as a positive highlight is that in Hungary we have made valuable steps towards equal rights. For example, the fact that a gay couple can be recognized in an official relationship or that a gay man can adopt a child. Even if you consider that LGBT couples can’t adopt together, the law that someone being LGB should not affect the chances of adopting a child as a single parent is worth mentioning.
- Expression: The Pride March is one of the few official events for us to have a voice and it is an opportunity that should not be wasted. Not everyone is into the same things, not everyone has the same way of expression, and if there is one thing that we truly represent is diversity – a diversity that should be embraced and respected. Pride is the place to do both.
If you have the chance to attend a parade, you should definitely do it. Let’s celebrate our voice with Pride!
Germán Henao
