Počivaj u miru Frank Kameny!
Počivaj u miru Frank Kameny!
izvor:queer.hr
autor: Dina J.
Frank Kameny, jedan od pionira američkog LGBT aktivizma, preminuo je jučer 11.oktobra u svom domu u starosti od 86 godina. Kameny je poznat po svom požrtvovnom radu i borbi za LGBT prava još od 1957. godine kada je otpušten sa svog posla astronoma u američkoj vojsci radi toga što je gej.
Za pravdu se odlučio boriti na sudu, no sud je nažalost njegovu tužbu odbio. Samim time, njegov aktivizam je rođen te je Kameny dugi niz godina bio jedan od najpoznatijih i najaktivnijih boraca za LGBT prava.
Poznat je i po tome da je 1973. godine bio jedna od glavnih osoba koje su pritisnule American Psychiatric Association da se homoseksualnost ukloni s popisa psihičkih poremećaja.
Njegova posljednja pobjeda zasigurno je bila ukidanje "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" politike u američkoj vojsci.
Kamenyev aktivistički rad uvelike je ostavio traga, ne samo u američkoj LGBT povijesti, nego i puno šire.
"Elections played role in canceling of gay parade"
"Elections played role in canceling of gay parade"
SOURCE: B92
BELGRADE -- A week after the Belgrade Pride Parade was canceled, four prominent Belgrade-based journalists took part in a B92 talk show to discussed the authorities' move.
Although they disagreed on whether the parade should have been banned, all four agreed that the decision was above all political, and was influenced by upcoming elections.
"We must bear in mind that the gay parade does not have the support of a large majority in Serbia. The citizens have defeated their political class, which for the first time in the past three years demonstrated that it was afraid of the citizens, and I think that's a victory of sorts," Novi Standard editor-in-chief Željko Cvijanović told Utisak Nedelje (Impression of the Week) host Olja Bećković.
Vreme editor-in-chief Dragoljub Žarković noted that the society was "only capable of organizing itself when some minority group needed to be belittled and threated to be beaten".
"Where's serious rebellion - a rebellion of the citizens against bad living - they're not standing up against the low standard, against being left without apartments, ripped off by the banks, against living worse each day, instead, we're standing up against what - a tiny group of 300 to 400 people who would probably have taken a completely peaceful walk," said Žarković.
His counterpart at the Belgrade-based weekly NIN, Nebojša Spaić. noted that "one of the reasons for canceling the Pride Parade was what is appearing in other socials segments and in other ways, and that is the utter inability of the authorities to deal with any real problem, and constant manufacturing of balloons of media lies and Potemkin villages, while the essential problem of this government is that it has no substance, no ideology."
Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) head Ljiljana Smajlović took part in the same program to say that unlike last year, when the government saught to prove it was progressive and capable of organizing a peaceful gay parade, this year it had an eye on elections.
"This year the authorities decided it was more profitable to let the U.S. embassy and Brussels get angry, but to avoid irritating that majority," said Smajlović.
Picnic Pride
On Sunday, the 2nd of October, at 2 pm, a group of citizens organized Pride Picnic at Student's Park in Belgrade. The Republic of Serbia, acting in collaboration with fascist organisations, attempted to deprive citizens of the right of visibility and free assembly by banning the Belgrade Pride Parade. The Pride Parade can be banned, but that cannot and is not going to cancel diversity. You will never kick us off the streets and out of the parks.
We are here, and we're here to stay.
Death to fascism.
Antje Rothemund
Concern over intolerant attitudes leading
to ban of Belgrade Pride Parade
Following the decision of the Serbian authorities to ban all public assemblies including the Belgrade Pride Parade planned for 2 October over security concerns, Ms Antje Rothemund, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, made the following statement:
"We are deeply concerned about the degree of hatred and violence in the Serbian society leading the national authorities to the drastic decision to limit the freedom of assembly of citizens. This is a setback for the development of pluralist democracy in the country. Politicians and opinion makers should take a clear stand on the indivisibility of human rights, actively promote the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and combat prejudices and stereotypes. Public authorities, civil society, the media and representatives of political and social life should build coalitions and actively combat hate speech, homophobia and all forms of discrimination and violence."
Prague Pride
Prague Pride 2011 was the first-ever pride parade held in Prague. As its organizers, we are proud that it was such a happy and peaceful event, with thousands of supportive participants from the Czech Republic as well as from abroad. Our hope is that the Belgrade Pride, although organized in a different environment, will have a similar impact.
Organizing pride parades is a manifestation of freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. Both are fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the international human rights law. Pride parades are also a unique opportunity for the society to be the guest of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and to get to know individuals with a different sexual orientation in person. Such events help overcome stereotypes and build relationships in a society without any prejudice.
Due to the past events in Serbia, the Belgrade pride cannot be organized safely without full support of government authorities. We therefore call upon Serbian authorities to provide all possible safeguards to ensure that the Belgrade Pride will be held in a safe environment. We hope that the fame of the Belgrade Pride will not be built on extremist attacks and police crackdowns, but rather on a high number of peaceful participants.
We wish the Belgrade Pride all the best. You have our support!
Prague Pride organizers
The AIRE Centre
The AIRE Centre offers its full support to the organisers of the 2011 Belgrade Pride Parade.
The AIRE Centre has been working in Serbia for 12 years, training judges, prosecutors, other lawyers and NGOs in the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and, more recently, European Union law. In those 12 years, the Serbian authorities have made considerable steps in improving compliance with European human rights standards.
One of the biggest challenges many States in Europe face is ensuring respect for the rights of minorities, and particularly their rights under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights - freedom of assembly. Article 14 requires the authorities to secure this right without any discrimination, including sexual orientation. The AIRE Centre is impressed by the efforts that the organisers of this year's Pride have made to guarantee a successful event. We are hopeful that the authorities will do their part to ensure respect for the Article 11 and Article 14 rights of LGBT people in Serbia, not only on 2 October, but every day.