"This year, Prague Pride will also be held online, the programme will be available to everyone," says the festival director, inviting everyone to "intergenerational snacks"
Hanka, this year's Prague Pride is the tenth anniversary. What did the coronavirus epidemic change about the event?
The coronavirus changed a lot, but by no means the essence with which we started preparing this year's event. Of course, Prague Pride requires year-long preparation - the moment one year ends, we start preparing the next one. But this year, because of the coronavirus, we had to start planning all over again. But from the beginning we wanted the tenth edition to reflect what is always present at the festival - that it is one of the biggest events for LGBT+ people, reflecting everything, both the positive and the negative, that we are dealing with. We also wanted to highlight the theme of connecting, which is very important to us. We need to get to know each other as LGBT+ people, because just because I'm a lesbian doesn't mean I understand trans people. But we don't just want to stay within the community, we also want to interact with people from the 'outside'.
Has the view of Pride changed in the last decade? After all, in the early days some politicians talked about the "ideology of homosexuality", today the rainbow flag can fly at Prague City Hall...
The flag is a symbol of the gradual change. But the differences are also noticeable in the way the festival is organized, because over the last ten years it has become a truly professionally organized event where we try to find a place for practically everyone. In recent years, we have had the opportunity to address more subcultural themes. But their thematization depends on whether the people concerned are willing to take up the issue. This year we are supposed to have a debate on non-binarity, but this must be done by those who identify as such. That's why we are happy to work with TakyTrans - then the debate won't be "about us without us". So it also increases a certain openness of the community to the outside. And the attitude of partners, companies, organisations and indeed political representation is changing - as evidenced by the flying of the rainbow flag last year.
Prague Pride also received financial support from the Prague City Hall in the amount of one million crowns this year. Since this information has caused considerable controversy and the Alliance for the Family, for example, has argued that it should also be entitled to such support, can you specify what the funds will be used for?
First of all, we are thrilled that the current political representation that runs Prague cares about its citizens - which includes LGBT people. Of course, we will use the money to cover the costs of this year's event. Just because the festival will be different doesn't mean that the costs won't be incurred. And if the Alliance for the Family organises a similarly large festival like Prague Pride, let them apply for financial support, because no one is stopping anyone from doing so...
Last year's programme also focused on LGBT seniors. Is this project continuing in any way?
Exactly, in recent years we have tried to include groups of people who are otherwise not so visible. This year it is non-binary people, last year it was the older generation of LGBT people, and we continue to work with Proud, Život 90 and Elpida in this area. As festival director, I think it's very important that older people feel comfortable at Pride and know that it's an event for them too. Last year, the so-called intergenerational snacks were a huge success, so we decided to repeat them this year. It was actually a speed dating event that anyone could participate in. In order to reduce the shyness of talking to strangers, we also had prepared topics for discussion. So I hope that this event will also contribute to older people not being afraid to go to Pride, because we also have a programme for them, for example in the Life 90 space, which we call Pride Life.
But the Pride programme usually culminates in a parade through Prague - that will not take place this year. So what format will the whole of Prague Pride 2020 have?
Of course, like most organisers of large events, we had to solve the question of how to organise such a large festival under the current uncertain conditions. It was clear from the beginning that we would have to reduce the programme, leaving approximately 80 events out of the original 140 planned. And of course, the biggest question mark hung over the parade, where participants numbered in the tens of thousands. But because we also approach problems positively (laughs), we decided to just try new things that we had thought about before but never implemented. Like in Amsterdam, where Pride is held around the canals, this year we will use the Vltava River to organize a rainbow cruise with a program. We will then broadcast the lectures, debates, workshops online, specifically up to six hours of broadcasting per day. However, many events for smaller numbers of people, where hygiene and anti-epidemic rules can be observed, will be held. This includes the programme on Strelecki Island, but also in Žluté lázně, where various sports activities will be planned.
Isn't this online concept, where the programme will be streamed, actually a positive step forward after all? Maybe people who would not otherwise go to Prague to attend an event will also watch the broadcast...
Exactly, on the one hand we know that people are generally travelling less nowadays, also because they are afraid of the spread of coronavirus. But on the other hand, there is also the idea that if the whole programme is online, anyone can watch it, anywhere and with anyone - perhaps with family who would not otherwise attend. I'm so curious myself what the viewership will be and where the content will go. We are also working with friendly prides from Visegrad countries on the online programme. We are preparing several events with them - for example, a debate on what it is like to organise a pride when one's life is at stake, like in Poland or Hungary. We would also like to focus on how to come to some mutual understanding with the opposition, which often has no understanding for LGBT+ people.
We can't really talk about too much understanding in relation to the LGBT+ community lately, rather we could say that at least in the V4 countries the situation is getting more and more heated...
Unfortunately, that's true, I personally think it's all about a terrible misunderstanding, a lot of people are defining themselves negatively towards us simply because they don't understand the topic and actually don't want to understand it. But just because something doesn't affect them personally doesn't mean it's going to put them at risk. Moreover, one can never say that LGBT+ issues will never concern them - gay, lesbian, etc. can appear in the family, and then everyone close to that person also wants them to be happy and content.
However, Prague Pride also encounters a certain level of misunderstanding, not only among the general public, but even among some LGBT+ people...
It is not helped by the media presentation, which in some cases is very stereotypical and tabloid. I always say to everyone who is against Pride that they should take part in it themselves one day. This year they won't be in the parade (laughs), but they can try next year. The best thing is personal experience - then everyone will see that there is a really diverse group in the parade, parents with children, older people, friends, colleagues - and that's why the whole festival is diverse. After all, colours and joy make our life beautiful too. For example, last year it rained the whole parade and I must say that the mood was so great that nobody complained about the weather. And finally, I have to say that Pride is not only the parade, but also a lot of accompanying events. So if anyone doesn't feel like going in the parade, they should go to one of our discussions, workshops, upcoming theatre or film performances.
Zdroj: Giphy
So is there any way to adequately convey the information to everyone, including those who are "staunch opponents" of LGBT+ people and pride parades?
More pride parades! (Personally, I think that Prague Pride can open many people's eyes, but you still have to remember that it only takes place in Prague, where not everyone can get to. So it's very important to support different local initiatives - both Ostrava Pride and Pilsen Pride work perfectly - simply to show that being LGBT+ is possible elsewhere, not just in the capital. Everyone should feel comfortable where they live, study, work. So I would like to see more of these prides in our country - to bring society together. This is happening quite paradoxically in Poland, for example, where there are around 30 prides every year, not only in big cities, but also in smaller ones. And this in conditions that are quite unimaginable for many people in the Czech Republic. Yet even there, LGBT+ people are trying to work with city leaders and show the majority society that they live similar lives to anyone else...
