Test of strength of the committee against the position already expressed by the mayor of Lucca who, as announced on Noi TV, had said he was against the dates close to the Holy Cross and the historical events of the September of Lucca. The organizers, in fact, go ahead and make an appeal for participation: “We will bring our fabulous bodies and creative anger to the streets of Lucca”.
The Tuscany gay Pride will be held on September 7th in Lucca: the announcement comes from the organization of the event which should bring around 4 thousand people to the city on the Saturday before the Holy Cross. The choice is not random, but rather a challenge, or rather a test of strength, towards the position already expressed to the organizers by the mayor Mario Pardini who, as already reported on Noi TV, did not agree on the dates close to the event. Position reconfirmed today by Pardini: “It amazes me that it was chosen precisely on the Saturday preceding the Holy Cross. I had already expressed my doubts about this date which coincides with a historic program of events for Lucca, Il Settembre Lucchese and Murabilia. It’s a very unfortunate choice. if this is the definitive date, a compromise will have to be found on the location which certainly cannot be that of the historic centre. Evidently this dialogue forcefully requested by the committee was of no use. In reality there was no dialogue.” The organizers, through a press note, spread the news as a done deal.
“Indomitə e Fierə” – we read in the press release – is the claim with which the Tuscan queer community is ready to take to the streets to make its voice heard, to denounce the homolesbobistransaphobia of the State and the institutional violence of the Meloni Government which has showed its true familial, sovereignist, racist and ableist face. A government that uses the bodies of women and LGBTQIA+* people as an ideological battleground to gain political consensus, represses dissent by force and undermines the foundations of our democracy which should be based on rights and not privileges. Drawing inspiration from the historical meaning of the Lucca panther, the organizing committee wanted to adapt one of the city’s historical mottos to the demands of Tuscany Pride 2024. The queer community is “indomitable” because it is not willing to submit to the imposed norm and like the panther refuses to be tamed to please other people. But she is also proud because she has made pride her flag, learning to walk every day with her head held high and to keep her back straight especially now that she is harassed and targeted. And it will not take steps backwards, negotiate downwards or become a political bargaining chip. This year we will bring our fabulous bodies and our creative anger to the streets of Lucca. We are building an even more intersectional Pride that will speak with the voices of all people marginalized as LGBTQIA*+, racialized or migrant, disabled, fat, precarious and unemployed. Toscana Pride rejects religious hatred and takes a stand against the genocidal massacre that is taking place in Gaza, in support of the Palestinian people, for the self-determination of peoples and for an immediate ceasefire. We will ask citizens to join us in the fight to obtain a law against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and against misogyny and ableism, the recognition of daughters and sons of same-parent families, a law on adoptions also in singles and same-gender couples, a new law for the right to self-determination of trans* and non-binary people and a law banning restorative therapies. What will lead us to the parade will be a participatory process in which we would like associations, collectives and free subjects to take part – declared the spokesperson of Toscana Pride Monia Marcacci – we expect a great participation because today more than ever we can and must remain together and from same part.”
