Gay blog

Yesterday’s Equality Parade was the final point of last week’s Equality Days (with the slogan Live, Love, Be!) in Warsaw. Organizers assess the number of people who attended the Parade at 7-8 thousand, the police and mass media give the number of only 2 thousand. The truth lies somewhere in between and whether it’s many or not - that’s a relative thing. But one thing is certain, there were much fewer people than at the memorable year 2005 Parade, which was banned by former Warsaw’s mayor, Lech Kaczyński. Nevertheless, I was impressed. This was the first time I’ve attended the Equality Parade (last year I was still in China at that time; before - I’d better not mention) and in my own opinion, which knows only such expressions as many, few, I don’t know and something about that, it was a crowd.

On my way to the Parade’s meeting point at the Bank Square I heard a few brilliant provocative things, such as hey look! there’s one of them! ha, ha, ha!, but as soon as I got there, a slight depression suddenly vanished, making room for some much more pleasant feelings. The Parade, of course, started a little later than it had been planned to. At the beginning I wanted to march all the way, but a strong group of my lesbian friends was so keen on getting on one of the platforms that I just had to yield. Well, it turned out to be a great idea, it was really fun there! Besides, it was an excellent lookout.

And there was much to look at, most of which really surprised me. Firstly - the opposition, countermanifestation of small groups of sharp-witted youngsters from National Radical Camp was so small and stifled by the police, that they looked just pathetic and made a bunch of disgraced fools of themselves. The first group, one of the biggest ones, had gathered at the Bank Square long before the Parade set off. Then, here and there throughout the whole route, a few smaller groups were shouting something at as, but nobody actually knew what it was they were shouting. The only word to be distinguished, their favourite one, was definitely fags.

Secondly - Warsaw citizens’ reactions and attitude surpassed my expectations. There were families with children, there were young people and old people, there were foreigners. Some of them were just standing and observing, others were smiling, but many of of them were waving their hands cheerfully and greeting us. This was really nice and positive!

And because our reactions to them were very exuberant, the atmosphere was just wonderful! The sun, music, fun, lot of joy, colours and laugh. I know, I’m getting very excited, but I remind you that this was my first time. So no wonder :] The whole thing lasted about two hours. After we reached the Chancellery of Prime Minister there wasn’t much more going on, or at least I didn’t hear or see too much. Well, maybe besides Jacek Poniedziałek (an actor) giving us a few bottles of wine.

There weren’t too many politics at the Parade this time. Apart from very active Greens 2004, whom you can always count on, only Marek Borowski and his Social Democracy of Poland showed up with their own platform. This lack of political support resulted in our political postulates being barely noticed in all this fun and joy. Well, there are some advantages, though. The Parade finally takes a form of a happy event, which can be attractive also for the citizens, and not some kind of a march of intimidated people timidly demanding their rights to be respected. The bad thing is that what we still demand and can’t get moved into the background.

Oh, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes, the Rainbow flag was proudly flying over the British embassy. Thank you! It really meant much to all of us!

And now it’s time for some pictures. I haven’t made a single one, because there were much more interesting things to do, but thanks to others I can provide you with a decent set.

by homiki.pl:

by Lucyna Rozlatowska:

Guys from National Radical Camp. by Gocu:

See you next year! I just can’t wait :]

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