The coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions introduced because of it have proven that “no living being can live a full and well-rounded life within four walls,” the organisers of Bosnia’s second Pride said in their media campaign ahead of the event which is to take place on August 23 in Sarajevo.
“Many citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will remember the living conditions in the pandemic for limited everyday activities, limited freedom, denial of human rights and socialization, and unfortunately, domestic violence which further intensified during the pandemic. LGBTIQ persons, on the other hand, are forced every single day to go through various segments of their lives exactly in such a way – restrained, without having the freedom to be who they are,” they said in their campaign.
RELATED NEWS
“We are aware that people in our society, when saying that we, LGBTIQ persons, should be “that” within our four walls, actually do not recognize nor understand what it means to live in such a way. Therefore, using this year’s campaign and the slogan of the second BiH Pride March, we would like to convey a message that no living being can live a full and well-rounded life within four walls,” they said.
The goal of the campaign is to use the experiences of life during the pandemic to point out that this is how many LGBTI persons in Bosnia live every day. The organisers interviewed citizens, activists and various public figures about what such a life looks like.
“We will continue emphasizing our experiences as long as the society, individuals, politicians and representatives of public institutions don’t realize that it is impossible to live a full life within four walls and that creating a safe public space, without fear and violence, where everyone will be able to live their authentic lives is the responsibility of the institutions and the general society,” the organizers said.
They pointed out that being LGBTIQ means having the need to live a life like any other, which includes “going to school, to work, hang out with friends, have a partner, start a family, go to public events, vote, travel, be a part of family gatherings, and everything else that comprises daily lives of all of us.”
“The problems that LGBTIQ and all marginalized groups in the society face do not go away during extreme situations such as this ongoing pandemic. On the contrary, these extreme situations just further aggravate their position. That is why it is more than necessary and needed for you to support the LGBTIQ persons, without calculating if it is right to do so because of the pandemic. Your support is very important and means a lot to all of us,” they stressed.
