The first pride parade in Montenegro "SeaSide Pride" was held a full ten years ago in Budva and irreversibly changed the social visibility and overall position of the LGBTI community in Montenegro, LGBT Forum Progresa announced.
The executive director of LGBTI Forum Progresa, John M. Barac, said that on 24 Jul for the Montenegrin LGBTI movement, it has historical significance, because on this day the first pride parade in Montenegro organized by that non-governmental organization took place.
"At the beginning of that year 2013, Montenegro was a much different place for LGBTI people to live, with much more open violence and a community that was practically invisible. At that moment, only Zdravko Cimbaljević was arrested at the level of the entire country and because of that he was exposed to continuous threats," said Barac.
According to him, the system as a whole was not ready to respond to all the challenges faced by LGBTI people, nor, as he says, was there a readiness for that community to become visible.
"However, it was SeaSide Pride and all those who worked tirelessly to make this parade happen that made that section and wrote a new page not only of our LGBTI movement, but also of modern Montenegrin history," said Barac.
After this walk, as he says, there was no going back, and life "in the closet" was no longer an option.
Barac adds that the community then finally saw that it was not alone in its own country.
"People like me, who were then living in fear and hiding their identities, could see brave activists, allies, walking in Budva and proudly saying that they too are part of this society, exactly as they are," said Barac.
According to him, all the key social changes that have taken place from then until now rest precisely on the shoulders of the first pride parade in Budva.
"Without this event, there wouldn't have been those who later took part (including me), reforms of the legislative framework that guarantee a greater degree of equality for LGBTI persons, subsequent processions, the Law on Life Partnership, or everything else that we have fought for since then, together as a movement and a community," added Barac.
He said that all those who were in Budva that day, both from the side of the participants and those who "violently and with a lot of hatred" attacked the procession itself, were witnesses of a time and a process of social change.
"We must not forget the dedication and sacrifice of the people who walked in Budva that day, risking their safety and lives, in order to open a new page in Montenegrin history," stressed Barac.
He added that they owe special thanks to them.
"From then until today, a lot has changed in Montenegro, and yet a lot has remained the same. Hatred towards LGBTI people is still very present, only that it is no longer on the streets but in online comments on social networks. Violence is also present and chronically affects LGBTI people. The legislative framework, no matter how much it has been improved, does not experience essential application in practice," said Barac.
The systemic response to numerous problems, he believes, is still inadequate, and there are examples like this. as he says, much more.
Barac assessed that social distance towards LGBTI persons is still pronounced.
"It is important that we do not forget the first steps we took, because ten years is both a long and a short period. Montenegro could have achieved much more and progressed, but there was no will and readiness to accept the LGBTI community as an equal part of Montenegrin society precisely by those who most appeal to the human rights of LGBTI persons, i.e. our decision makers and political leaders. But as long as we continue to fight for those values and ideals that were set in July 2013 in Budva, essential changes will surely happen and progress will be increasingly visible," concluded Barac.
Bonus video:
