Belgrade Pride To End A Week Of Activity To Highlight LGBT Rights
Thousands are expected to take to the parks and streets for the Belgrade Pride Parade on Sunday 2 October. The march through the city centre, which has been so controversial in the past, will mark the close to a week of events, showcases and discussions that aim to turn the spotlight on improving the rights and encouraging greater acceptance for LGBT people in Serbia.
For many months, organisers, police and state bodies have been working flat out to deliver a safe and enjoyable Pride 2011 that does not repeat the events of previous attempts to march in peace. Even now, the route and timing for the march is a closely held secret, for security reasons. This year’s parade will mark the tenth anniversary of the city’s calamitous first Pride march, when violence shocked the world.
A decade on and to be gay, bisexual or lesbian in Serbia – indeed, throughout the Balkans – is still a difficult life to lead. Even among those who consider themselves to be more liberal, accepting and open-minded, there is still an unwritten rule that being gay should never be discussed or outwardly seen by family or friends. Embarrassment and shame prevail.
Times are slowly changing, but mostly on the surface. The real issues run much deeper, are more institutional. Gay rights and equality might be on the agenda but the will to push ahead is often lacking. A LGBT life in Serbia can be still a nightmare of secrecy, shame and fear in an intolerant society. I know gay and bisexual people across Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. Some are openly gay, while most are too afraid of the reaction of family and friends to come out. They live in the shadows, cursed to a life of pretence and denial. That is no way to live.
A modern, civilised country, no matter what the individual views of people or religious leaders, should never condone a regime of prejudice, intolerance and violence against its citizens. It is a fundamental human right for all people to live without fear or prejudice, to be who they want to be, and to express themselves freely. It is the responsibility of government to put in place whatever might be necessary to enable such rights.
Addressing these issues, Pride 2011 has adopted a theme of empowerment through family love and support. They believe that to change the attitude of a nation, that change must begin at home. Explaining this theme, Belgrade Pride 2011 organiser Goran Miletić said: “The need for support is great within the LGBT population in Serbia, and so this year our campaign puts the importance and role of the family as the primary source of support in society. Family is the first unit of society that should respect the values of tolerance, flexibility, accepting others’ differences and accepting the needs to express personal identity in many forms.
“Any homophobic attitude can directly affect the lives of members of all our families. Given that we live in a society with a high degree of violence, it is necessary that action to affirm LGBT rights should include the importance of families and explain that they should support their LGBT members to love without fear or shame.”
That first parade ten years ago erupted in violence and chaos as an angry crowd of hooligans, ultra-nationalists and Obraz supporters attacked participants gathered in Republic Square. Police looked on, outnumbered and powerless to prevent the blatant thuggery discharged on the Belgrade streets. This brought widespread condemnation for the inexcusable ineffectiveness of the authorities to prevent the atrocious battering and violence against its own citizens. After the event, there was widespread indignation at the lack of accountability by any government organisation or the police.
International outrage continued to rise as online video of the beatings poured oil on the flames of Serbia’s shame. Many of these filmed clips appeared to show helmeted police standing back in the face of the sustained attacks against members of the LGBT community. It was estimated that more than 40 people were injured in the clashes, although police claimed that only six people and eight officers were hurt.
Three years later and it seemed that nothing had changed, as Pride 2004 had to be cancelled at the last minute, due to security threats and violence. In 2009, Pride became embroiled in a furore surrounding anti-discrimination laws. The all-powerful and ultra-conservative Serbian Orthodox Church led a protest by religious groups to re-write the draft but, after it was resubmitted and later adopted, the focus returned to banning the Pride parade.
International human rights organisations supported the events and some well-known faces even took part in a TV commercial ‘Love is not to hide; Love is to be proud of’. However, the campaign roused the wolves and there were more threats of violence. The flames were fanned when a Serbian Orthodox Church leader Amfilohije Radović venomously declared it a ‘March of Shame’ and ‘Sodom and Gomorrah March’. Despite clear hate speech in the media and explicit graffiti up and down Serbia, no action was taken against the perpetrators.
Policing the event was a different story. Fearful of a repeat of 2001 and aware that the world was watching, the Serbian Minister of the Interior Ivica Dačić announced a strong police presence to prevent violence breaking out again. Then, just one day before the parade, the minister got cold feet and ordered the march to be re-routed away from the city centre. Organisers saw this as an effectual ban and so, once again, Pride was cancelled.
Jump forward to 2010 and organisers tried again. Violence broke out again. About one thousand people gathered in Manjež Park before a parade through the city and a party at the Student Cultural Centre. This time, the authorities ordered five thousand police to corral the marchers to protect them from the estimated six thousand protesters. After hours of rioting and violence on the periphery of the march, Belgrade was left with shattered glass, looted businesses and burned out buildings, including political offices and the national television building. Protesters even targeted a mobile mammography scanner. Serbia’s second Pride Parade ended with 147 policemen and 25 civilians reported as wounded.
Organisers of Pride 2011 have urged Serbia’s Ministry of the Interior to ensure that perpetrators of that violence are brought to justice before this year’s event. Of the 249 arrested in connection with violence in 2010, only 83 have been charged and many have yet to come to trial. Worse still, many suspected of being responsible for the most violent acts remain at large. “We call on the Government to demonstrate that democracy and European integration are not just excuses used in the election campaign, but for all citizens of Serbia to really enjoy constitutionally guaranteed rights,” a Belgrade Pride 2011 spokesman said.
Right wingers and extremists have already issued significant threats to individuals and the parade next month. The temperature in Belgrade is already rising, with stickers saying ‘We are waiting for you’ and ‘We are coming’ alongside ominous graffiti of masked hooligans with bats and chains. So far, authorities have not acted on the threats or intimidations.
Serbia’s pro-European President Boris Tadić is well aware that his country’s international standing – and any EU prospects – will be severely dented if the world wakes to images of more violence and beatings by ultra nationalists and religious zealots on Belgrade’s streets. He must also know that it is in the power of state institutions to prevent this from happening.
The weight of the international community is behind Pride 2011, with Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders, European Parliament, Council of Europe, European Delegation in Serbia, and the OSCE Mission to Serbia among those publically backing the events. Still, though, there is increasing pressure to call the whole thing off. Government officials, media outlets as well as church leaders have been playing on public perceptions and cultural beliefs to inflame feeling in Belgrade.
Multi-million selling musician Cyndi Lauper gave her words of support to W!LD RooSTeR: she said.“Every human being, regardless of what country they live in or their race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation, must be treated equally with dignity and respect,’ “We must all work together to ensure that this ideal is upheld all around the world. I want to send my best wishes to all of the people of Serbia as they come together to celebrate diversity and family at this year’s Belgrade Pride. Standing together, in the face of many obstacles and opposition, is the definition of courage and leadership.”
Although authorities are paying lip service, they claim that Serbia has more serious issues to be resolved than LGBT rights. This would seem to ignore the fact that the protection of basic human rights for all should be fundamental to a country. A root of this political pussy-footing is that the leaders are afraid of upsetting those who keep them in office. Serbia needs them to stand up for what is right and fair for all, not just for those who maintain the status quo.
If the Serbian State is genuine in its wish for closer international relationships and an improved reputation abroad, and if it is committed to equality and freedom for its entire people, then it must act decisively at this time. The state should send a strong signal, showing that Serbia shares the international values of freedom of expression and assembly, and the right to non-discrimination for all people. The people of Serbia deserve that. All people deserve that.
LATEST Friday, 30 September: The Serbian authorities have banned Belgrade Pride, claiming it would be a threat to national security. Police made the decision on Friday afternoon, following the Serbian National Security Council’s move to ban all public gatherings in Belgrade this coming weekend, according to Pride organisers. That includes the Parade planned for Sunday. Organisers say that the official reason put forward by Serbian police is that the security risk is too high and that holding the Pride parade would be a threat to national security. It is hoped that more details will follow, including an explanation from the Serbian authorities about why they feel that it is not in their power to protect the streets of Belgrade without resorting to a blanket ban.
9 / 15 / 2011 9:16 am
Why do they have to publicly show they are gay? if they want to be gay then so be it, but forcing everyone to accept and acknowledge this is a form of fascism. This is a form of tyranny no other way to put it.
Bog Cuva Srbija
9 / 15 / 2011 11:32 am
To the first comment here, who remained anonymous:
I appreciate your opinion. However, gay pride is not about forcing people to accept being gay. I have good friends who do not approve of ‘gay’. However, they still approve of me as a person. They appreciate that there is a difference between their beliefs and acknowledging people are different. This is the same with religion. You don’t need to be a Christian to accept that other people are Christians.
I think it is everyone’s right to decide to have a parade. This should be no different whether you are gay or would like to celebrate carnival. Gay people should not have to ask permission from society, it is a fundamental right.
I do not understand your comment that this is a form of racism. Would we call it racism if another group decides to have a parade to celebrate or to make people aware of something? I live in London and every week people organise parties or parades to celebrate something, be it Chinese people celebrating their new year, Dutch people celebrating their culture, religious groups expressing their religion, or people celebrating carnival. I believe it enriches life in London and many other cities. People get a lot out of it.
If the parade is not for you then don’t go. It’s that simple. But if you do you may find you have a fantastic time and a good party. All over the world gay pride is celebrated and I have never heard of people who did not have a fantastic time if they allowed themselves.
9 / 15 / 2011 12:25 pm
Mr Veen I said fascist not racist, you do not understand how things are here in Serbia, or maybe you do know how things are here.
You cant compare Beograd to London its not the same.
9 / 16 / 2011 2:18 am
If someone is gay then so be it.I am a Serb and straight. I am not anti-gay per-se, but I do have a problem with gay people constantly force feeding their lifestyle to the general public. Gays need to understand that humans were designed by God, nature, or whatever, to reproduce. To go along with that design we were given different organs,looks, hormones, and parts of our brain that give us a drive (desire) to want to be with the opposite sex to reproduce. Anything that goes contrary to that is in effect a defect. Now why should there be a parade to celebrate something that goes against natures design (defect)? Everyone has eyes yet not everyone can see. Should there be a blind pride parade? What I’m getting at is that one should be no more proud of being gay than I am of being straight. It is how you were born and that is that. Gays originally started out wanting to be left alone to do their thing, but now that’s not enough! Now gays will not rest until every last person on earth not only accepts homosexuality but glorifies it as well. This of course provokes those who are anti-gay or at the very least indifferent to it. I would also like to point out that the word “homophobe” is way overused by the gay community. Just because someone does not agree with or condone or even accept something does not mean they have a phobia of it. I do not like spinach and I cannot for the life of me understand why anybody does, but that does not make me a spinachaphobe! I think gays would fare much better in life if they stopped trying to force everyone to accept what is for many unacceptable. Live and let live. Equal rights yes. Special rights no! Also, it is beyond doubt that these so called activists are funded by foreign money (i.e. Soros). Why do these people spend their time and money meddling in Serbia affairs? Serbs are by nature a conservative Christian people. With that being said we are very progressive on several issues. There is no distinct history of gay bashing in Serbia. Things there are basically “mind your own business” and everything will be fine. All of these people who are so keen to see rainbow flags flying over Serbia would never even think of doing the same in say Saudi Arabia or Iran. When asked why, they typically say that they do not go there out of respect for the customs and religion of those people. Wouldn’t want to offend the Muslims you know, but offending Christians is quite alright I suppose. The truth is that in those societies they would not have to worry about football hooligans beating them up they would worry about losing their heads literally! There is even a movement here in the states to rewrite the Bible to exclude anti-gay verses from the bible and label them as hate speech. Is that tolerance? Some people would say “oh that will never happen”! I say crazier things HAVE happened. This is political correctness run amuck nothing more nothing less. To gays I say if you don’t like things where you live just come to the states and apply for asylum being gay will get you to the front of the line over here.Stop trying to screw up everybody elses culture to conform with your idea of how things should be!
9 / 19 / 2011 11:10 am
Claiming Serbia will get respect for these gay parades from the same countries/people that don’t give a d@mn about Serbs harassed, attacked and cleansed everyday in the Balkans, shows that they are only trying to reach cold-hearted people who only care about show and copying the current trends over real and genuine concern about humanity.
If the majority of the people are aggravated by these parades/shows expressly on homosexuality, then the fact that outsiders so push it and even make threats over it demonstrates they care more about homosexual agendas than the Serbian people.
9 / 19 / 2011 5:51 pm
Intelligent article, neanderthal comments. What’s new in the Serbian blogosphere regarding Pride? But time and history is on the side of the righteous – happy pride, Serbia! Ziveli.
9 / 23 / 2011 7:26 pm
Neanderthal comments indeed. Especially the part about the parade being something that has nothing to do with Serbs and Serbia. Um, hello? It’s all about the *Serbian* people who are gay, lesbian, bi and transsexual.
@Mike P.: “Serbs are by nature a conservative Christian people.”
Sorry, but I find that statement hilarious. The majority of Serbs, as far as I know, are people who swear, drink a lot of alcohol, watch porn, love to talk about sex (both men and women) and make sex jokes, they don’t get very moralistic about adultery (compared to, say, USA), men like to act macho and brag about sex, women are expected to dress up very sexily, people love to go out all night and get wasted, many people who go clubbing are clearly looking for casual sex… Even the media are full of sex and “bad language”. We even had a network that showed hardcore porn in the middle of the day in the 1990s! Let’s not even talk about the “kafana” culture. Or how about the adoration of criminals with gold chains and the popularity of scantily clad folk singers who can’t sing. Or the tabloids and all the things they publish?
Funny how the only time when Serbs turn to “traditionalism” is when the subject of homosexuality comes up. It all has nothing to do with tradition, it’s about machismo, sexual insecurity and homophobia.
And religion? How many people even know the first thing about it? They just like to say they’re Orthodox because it’s been trendy since the 1990s and because it’s seen as tied up with the nationalist feeling.
Koji bre konzervativni tradicionalni vernici Srbi? To su bre priče za malu decu.
9 / 29 / 2011 7:17 pm
Well said, Ivana! Just don’t be hard on those “scantily clad folk singers”!
Good article, Marcus. Homophobia is a form of scape-goating, pure and simple.