4 min. of reading
From the crowded streets of Genoa, through the historic streets of Venice, up to the networks of support and participation in Syracuse and in the Terre di Castelli in the province of Modena, every event of the weekend of June 8th and 9th reinforced the power of this year’s Pride Wave. Small and large processions throughout Italy they brought the demands of the LGBTIQ+ community to the center and highlighted how current Italian politics is making the lives of queer people, families and couples across the country more difficult.
Here is a short one reportaccompanied by a rich galleryof the Pride events that were held the weekend that just ended.
Liguria Pride, Genoa – Saturday 8 June
With over 20,000 participants, Liguria Pride transformed the center of Genoa into a great wave of pride. The march started from the Prince’s Palace and traveled through the main streets of the city, culminating in Piazza De Ferrari. The procession, which celebrated a proud “queer fury“, saw the participation of families, young people and a lot of people who loudly asked for respect and equal rights. A large Genoa took to the streets, not asking for any patronage. As you pointed out Laura of the Liguria Rainbow Coordination in our interview a few days ago: “Being autonomous and independent is perhaps the only privilege that we like and that we want to defend“.
Syracuse Pride – Saturday 8 June
Syracuse Pride 2024 filled the streets of Syracuse, with hundreds of participants marching through the heart of the city to the island of Ortigia. The parade saw the participation of numerous groups and associations, under the guidance of the godmothers Michela Giraud and Rita Abela.
Arcigay Siracusa and Stonewall Glbt Siracusa, among the organizing associations, expressed strong concern. Tiziana Biondi of Stonewall Siracusa said from the stage. “A black wave is crossing our country with repeated attempts to limit the freedom of homosexual, lesbian and gay people, also for this reason Pride is for us synonymous with pride, understood as visibility, within a society where someone would like still seeing us locked in a closet. We, on the other hand, in addition to claiming to be what we are, want the same rights that everyone has”.
Pride of the Terre di Castelli Union – Saturday 8 June
The small but significant Pride of the Terre di Castelli saw around 200 people march from Vignola to Spilamberto, demonstrating that even (and above all) in small provinces the request for recognition, the need for self-determination and the commitment to LGBTQIA+ rights are strong. This second edition received the support of the mayors of the Terre di Castelli (which bring together eight municipalities with a population of around 82 thousand inhabitants), which is not so obvious in areas rather peripheral to the big cities.
Pride of the Terre di Castelli Union, as we told in our previous article announcing the date, is a small provincial Pride, organized by Femmfest Collective with the aim, precisely, of bringing out the voices of the LGBTIQ+ community in territories other than the cities that usually host Pride events.
Laguna Pride, Venice – Sunday 9 June
Despite the rain, Venice’s Laguna Pride made itself felt again this year. The procession, which began with a performance by the LGBT Komos choir, started from Santa Lucia station and wound its way up to the Zattere.
During the march, hundreds of people chanted and waved flags, creating an atmosphere of celebration, but at the same time of struggle and protest. One of the highlights was when a voice, amplified by the megaphone, echoed through the crowd: «Let’s fill the city with our colors and our demands. We are here to celebrate diversity, to give us courage and strength and to recognize ourselves».
The speeches from the stage at the Zattere touched on urgent and varied topics, from the fight against discrimination to international politics, including a strong condemnation of the ongoing violence in Palestine. A heartfelt appeal came from the Arcobaleno Families, who underlined the importance of continuous support for the community: «Tomorrow morning we rainbow families will be in the streets again to defend our children from the clutches of homophobic politics. The Venice Court of Appeal will examine 37 appeals sought by the Padua prosecutor’s office and the Ministry of the Interior who have been fiercely targeting families made up of two mothers».
Each Pride this weekend offered a unique glimpse of resistance, celebration and demand for change, demonstrating that despite the challenges, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to proudly fight for a better future.
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