2023-06-17 21:55:52
” Love always wins “ (“Love always wins”): it was behind a banner displaying this message of unity and inclusion in the Corsican language that some 200 people marched in Bastia, in the north of Corsica, Saturday June 17, for the first real Pride march organized in support of the LGBTQ+ community on the island.
Swept by rainbow flags, fuchsia fans and streamers, the festive procession, made up of a majority of women, set off to music and under the sun from the city’s courthouse to reach, via the old port, the main square of the second Corsican city.
“We want to walk together, so that no one or any Corsican will one day have to choose between living their life to the full, their loves and a daily life here” on the island, repeated at the start of the first real March for “celebrating multiple identities”, the secretary of the Arcu association. In 2022, only a small gathering was held in Ajaccio, as a start.
“I created 20 years ago, in 2004, the first LGBT association in Corsica, and this is the first Gay Pride in which I participate on the island”testified to Agence France-Presse (AFP) Daniel Cartayrade Marchetti, 63, member of Amnesty International and representative of the CGT Haute-Corse. “Corsica finally opens”welcomed the member of an association for the fight against AIDS, distributing condoms and waving the red flag of the CGT, happy with the “message of great tolerance” disseminated by this event.
“Corsican society is moving forward with us”
A good number of demonstrators, glittering eyes, rainbow flags painted on their cheeks or placed on their shoulders, marched applauding onlookers sharing their enthusiasm, to cries of “All Together” (” All together “).
« Liberta, love is love » (“Freedom, love is love”), “Are you homophobic? Stopped ! », « Fascist out » (“Fascists out”), “Trans people exist in Corsica” or “Corse and PD and proud to be”could we read on the signs brandished in the procession.
“I am present to find myself with people from the same community as me, it is very rare because generally they are hidden and it is not necessarily accepted even today. It’s nice to see that.”told AFP Léa Scialom-Lazar, a 17-year-old high school student, who came to parade for “changing habits”.
“This is an opportunity to finally come together to create a space where, for once, we are not the prey of mockery, harassment, violence”also explained Maxime Grisoni, a 26-year-old student who returned to Bastia especially for the March. “Homophobia kills”was it written on his sign.
Online courses, evening courses, workshops: develop your skills
Discover
The event was supported in particular by trade unions (CGT, FSU, CFDT), political parties (PCF, LFI, Libertarian Communist Union), Corsican political movements (A Manca and Inseme a Manca), anti-racist associations (Ava Basta, Human Rights League) and feminist associations (Zitelle in Zerga, Main violette Corse).
The march ended on Place Saint-Nicolas in a joyful dance session on a ” Hello beautiful “ frenzied and in the middle of smoke releasing an orange smoke. “What a great walk! It’s a great success, there are many of us who want to be free, to love who we want and to be who we want.concluded at the microphone Livia Casalonga, secretary of the Arcu by launching a vibrant « Free ». “Corsican society is moving forward with us, the road is sometimes a bit winding but it’s nothing, it’s just a mountain village”she added.
“A few fachos walked with us, don’t go alone, stay together so as not to spoil this beautiful moment”, she also warned, even if no notable incident marked the demonstration. An evening was planned in a bar in the city to continue the festivities.
#Corsica #Pride #March #held #Bastia