Online talks, round tables, rallies… The city’s LGBTI groups and associations are mobilising to keep the spirit of LGBTI Pride alive in spite of the current special circumstances.
Barcelona’s LGBTI Pride is still alive and active. A number of groups and associations have arranged activities to coincide with International LGBTI Pride and Liberation Day on 28 June. This year, the main challenge has been adapting the various events to the social distancing measures required to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Pride doesn’t switch off
The organisers of Pride! Barcelona and the thirty or so associations that take part in it have reinvented themselves. In collaboration with Betevé, they have designed a special programme to be broadcast on television and digital platforms throughout this week. The aim is to continue to allow the demands of LGBTI groups and associations to be heard by means of round tables on a variety of current affairs.
- 22 June, 7 pm Round table on sport and culture, featuring the Barcelona Gay Men’s Chorus, Casal Lambda, Col·lectiu La Cicatriz and Panteres Grogues.
- 23 June, 7 pm Discussion about LGBTI families, featuring representatives from Chrisallys, Eufòria and FLG – Famílies LGTBI.
- 24 June, 7 pm Round table on health and HIV and other STIs, featuring Creación Positiva, Stop Sida and Gais Positius.
- 25 June, 7 pm Round table on the vulnerabilities of LGBTI people, featuring the Catalan Association for Integrating Homosexual, Bisexual and Transsexual Immigrants (ACATHI), Generem, Fundació Enllaç and Sitges Voluntaris Socials – Acció en Blau.
- 26 June, 7 pm Debate on LGBTI-phobia, featuring representatives from Gaylespol, LB Talks and the Observatori contra l’Homofòbia [Observatory against Homophobia].
The music and the party will start at the weekend, also on the small screen. On Saturday, 27 June at 10 pm, Betevé will broadcast a special live programme presented by Jordi Chicletol and Sharonne with performances by Bad Gyal, Agoney, Ricky Merino and Karina among many more artists.
OCH: New edition of the report on The State of LGBTI-Phobia in Catalonia
Coinciding with the upcoming celebration on 28 June, the Observatory against Homophobia (OCH) will present its report on The State of LGBTI-Phobia in Catalonia 2019. The presentation will take place at the Col·legi de Periodistes’ headquarters at 10 am on Thursday, 25 June. In addition, the Forum Nights (Primavera Sound) will include a feminist and LGBTI stand all weekend to deal with any sexist incidents or incidents on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression of any kind that may take place. The OCH team will also take part in many institutional events organised in various parts of the city.
Pride Art. Don’t stop art. It’s Pride
Federica wants to join the celebration by opening a collective exhibition of artists who offer up their works for LGBTI people attending Stop Sida. The exhibition will be open to visitors from 25 June to 2 September.
A Last Dance without leaving the house
Last Dance was premiered by Barcelona Gay Men’s Chorus at the Teatre Condal a year ago. To celebrate this first anniversary, the choir is livestreaming the show on YouTube. You can watch it on Friday, 26 June at 9 pm.
The colours of all struggles
“We have history. We have a future: let’s bring together the colours of all struggles.” This is the motto under which Xarxa pel 28J, 2020 BCN, Crida LGBTI, Sin Vergüenza and ACT have joined forces to hold a demonstration that will leave from Plaça de la Universitat at 6.30 pm on Saturday, 27 June. The march will end at 8 pm with a political rally at Plaça de Sant Jaume. The organisers have called for everyone taking part to wear a face mask, adhere to the safety distance and carry individual banners.
28J Orgull Autònom, Orgull de Classe and Nou Barris LGBTI: memory and support networks
The groups forming 28J Orgull Autònom, on their part, will be holding an LGBTI memory walk on Saturday, 27 June. Participants will meet at Paral·lel metro station at 9 pm.
The next day, at 6 pm, they will join Orgull de Classe and Nou Barris LGBTI at Plaça Major de Nou Barris. The activities will include, among others, a round table on the mutual support networks developed during the pandemic and the social measures that need to be taken in this social crisis situation. In addition, a manifesto will be read out, and a number of musical performances and cultural activities will take place. To ensure compliance with the Covid-19 protection measures, anyone wishing to attend must book a free ticket on the website 2020.orgulldeclasse.cat. On this website you will also find details of the new campaign for donations to the Nou Barris Support Networks.
Visible LGBTI families
In addition to taking part in the talk on family diversity to be broadcast by Betevé, FLG – Famílies LGTBI promotes a number of actions and activities of its own. On Saturday, 27 June at 7 pm, a discussion on “The free movement of LGBTI families in Europe” will be available to watch on Instagram. The next day, Sunday, 28 June, the association will march on the streets. Between 11 am and midday, it will gather at Plaça de la Universitat, where it will reproduce a large mural and give out face masks with the LGBTI colours. Finally, at 5 pm on Monday, 30 June, the discussion “Families with same-sex parents, a driver of social change” will take place on Instagram.
Infogai is turning forty!
Associació 17 de Maig has just published a book commemorating the 40th anniversary of the magazine Infogai. The presentation will take place at 7 pm on Saturday, 27 June. The event will be streamed online.
Positively on the street
Gais Positius, on its part, has organised a photography event open to everyone. For the last few days, the association has been asking the public to send images of people in open spaces following several weeks of lockdown. The result will be published on social media on 28 June. You can follow the action using the hashtag #28JAlCarrerEnPositiu.
LGTBICat Platform Rally
The Plataforma LGTBI de Catalunya [Catalonia LGBTI Platform], a federation that brings together fourteen LGBTI associations from all over Catalonia, has convened a rally outside Barcelona City Council. It will take place at noon on Sunday, 28 June. The organisers ask that all attendees wear a face mask and adhere to the safety distance.
And to finish… Shoga
The LGBTI Centre will take the baton for the events with the start of Shoga, a series of African LGBTI films depicting the reality of LGBTI people’s lives in this great continent. You can watch the opening film of the cycle, Rafiki, on Betevé at 10.30 pm on Sunday, 28 June. The other films in the cycle will be shown on the LGBTI Centre’s website until 14 July.